Troubled Soul
by Hattie J Huper
Summary: A renegade gang have threatened to hurt Amanda's children if Lee doesn't help them steal a priceless diamond. He has no one he can turn to.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1.

The next vicious gut punch sent him to the ground. He hissed air between his teeth and put a hand up to cradle his ribs. He was pretty sure one was already cracked. There was no respite from this onslaught. He was instantly pulled up into a standing position and winced slightly as his tormentor came at him again.

"Don't hit him in the face," she ordered.

"I know that."

Lee tried to remain stoic in the face of this relentless torture but the next punch landed with such force he could not stifle the grunt of pain that escaped from his lips as he doubled over. Once again he was pulled upright his attackers far outnumbering him.

Rodriguez took a moment to collect himself flexing his hand.

"Mr Stetson, you are a stubborn man but you will agree to our terms." He said in a thick Hispanic accent.

"I wouldn't bet on it."

Rodriguez came at him again and Lee braced himself.

"No wait," The woman held up a hand, "he is no good to us if he is badly injured, we go to plan B. Bring him to the table."

Lee found it difficult to walk such was the pain in his gut but he was dragged across the warehouse by many hands. They brought him to a table at the centre of the stone floor warehouse and shoved him down on to a metal chair.

He watched as she took a brown envelope from her briefcase and pulled the contents out scattering them on the table.

The photographs were instantly recognisable.

The colour drained from Lee's face even as he tried to show no emotion.

"You know them, don't you mister Stetson?"

He didn't reply, his jaw was set in anger.

"Two lovely little boys. I believe their names are Jamie and Philip."

Rodriguez picked up the picture of Jamie. His smile was sleazy as he examined the boys profile.

"A good looking child wouldn't you say Mr Stetson, a lovely little boy."

Lee exploded out of his chair. He went for Rodriguez smashing a fist into his face and going in for the kill. Many hands moved quickly to bring him under control. He was punched and kicked into submission.

Breathing hard and trying to steady his ragged nerves, he looked up at the smartly dressed woman, her arms folded waiting for her people to regain control of the situation.

Once they had Lee under control with his arms pinned behind his back, she spoke.

"These two fine gentlemen have secured positions as trainee teachers at a local school. They will be teaching Jamie and Philip until our mission is complete. If you agree to help us steal the diamond the boys will have nothing more than a greater knowledge of History. If you will not cooperate the boys will disappear never to be seen again. Your choice. We know they are the children of a colleague of yours, we know where they live. We have surveillance and snipers ready. Your choice,"

After a moment Lee nodded reluctantly.

"If you touch a hair on their heads,"

"They won't be harmed as long as you cooperate. We have a package of explosives arriving at the beginning of next week. The diamond will be arriving at the Tiffany gallery on Friday next."

"It'll take more than explosives," Lee muttered.

"That's why you're on board. You have a broad knowledge of such things such is your background in security. We will need to liaise often and discuss the finer details. You will tell the world that I am your new girlfriend, you met me in a bar at the weekend."

"That won't work. I have friends who know I don't work that fast."

She went to him then.

Those standing over Lee pulled him up into a standing position as she placed a hand on the collar of his jacket.

"You will make it work."

Before he could react she pressed her full lips to his coaxing him into a passionate, heat fuelled kiss. He looked straight ahead and didn't engage with her.

She pulled away, her dark eyes hard and cold.

"You will have to do better than that Mr Stetson. You will be hearing from us."

She turned to her many henchmen.

"Take him back to his apartment. See that he gets home safe."

She took the photos and placed them back into the briefcase. Then she glided out of the room followed by some of her more trusted aides.

Others took hold of Lee, anxious to carry out her orders. They were about to move off when Rodriguez put up a hand to halt their progress.

"Wait," he ordered. He was puffing on a cigarette and gestured for them to put Lee sitting back down on the chair.

Lee eyed him warily as he was put sitting down, heavy hands were clamped to his shoulders keeping him in place.

One of the goons smiled up at Rodriguez,

anticipating his next move. He went to Lee and slowly pulled up the sleeve of his right arm.

"You punch me again and next time it will not be your arm Mr Stetson," he grinned.

Lee drew in a sharp breath as Rodriguez took the cigarette and stubbed it out on the delicate skin just below his elbow, careful to burn in a few places and make the wound deep.

"Do we understand each other Mr Stetson?" He grinned showing his gold tooth. Lee gave a barely perceptible nod and Rodriguez lifted the cigarette butt from his skin.

"Get him out of my sight,"

~o~

Dr Slone trudged down the stairs scratching his head. It was past three in the morning and he hoped it wasn't another emergency. Perhaps Mrs Grace had finally gone into labour. Surely it wasn't another false alarm. The third this month. He shook his head as he turned on the porch light and looked out.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

"Please, I just need some pain killers,"

He was standing there shivering in the pouring rain looking for pain killers, Dr Slone was not impressed.

"They don't have drug stores where you live? You know it's three o clock in the morning right!" The ageing doctor barked as he showed the younger man into the hall.

"I know I'm sorry. I didn't have this toothache when I left for work this morning, it just came on rather sudden."

The doctor turned to head into his surgery, grumbling away to himself but he swung around as he heard the sudden thump behind him. Lee had stumbled and fallen to his knees.

"What is it," he got down and helped Lee to sit up.

"It's nothing," Lee grimaced, trying to politely take the doctors hands from around his middle.

"I'm fine." He nodded.

His face had lost all colour as he held a hand protectively to his side.

"That's not nothing, what happened?" The doctor asked.

Lee tried to breathe through the pain.

"Please...I just need some strong pain killers and I'll be out of your way."

"No dice sonny Jim. Not until I get a look at what I'm dealing with."

Lee managed to stumble to his feet and he staggered back towards the front door.

"It's fine, thank you for your time," he said.

"You put your hand on that door and I'll call the cops. I presume you don't want them to know what happened to you tonight."

Lee shook his head. "That wouldn't be my first choice no."

A voice upstairs made them both look up.

"Stanley, who you talkin to," a woman's voice called out

Lee fixed pleading eyes on the doctor.

"It's just a patient Ethel go back to sleep," he called up to her.

Seconds later a door closed upstairs and they could hear the click of a light switch.

"Thank you," Lee whispered.

"You go in back and take off your shirt, I'll get something strong to help you with the pain."

~o~

Even though he expected some injury the doctor froze at the door as he surveyed the dark discolouration on the man's torso. He walked around the examination table and handed Lee a small cup and a glass of water. Lee downed the painkillers and water as the doctor looked on in shock.

This isn't good, you need a hospital. He put out hands and gently began to probe the wounds. Lee tried to brace himself as the pain was still intense.

The doctor looked up at him.

"Who did this to you?" He asked.

Lee shook his head. Such was his exhaustion he couldn't even form a decent lie.

"This is a serious assault and whoever did this needs to be punished. You need to go to the police,"

Lee looked at him. In his mind he could still see the photo stills of Jamie and Philip. He could see Rodriguez grinning down at them.

The doctor then gave up and instead bound up Lee's ribs and touched up his cuts and grazes with antiseptic.

"I'll give you a note for work, you'll need to take it easy for a while."

The doctor went to his desk.

"That won't be necessary," Lee looked rather sick as he struggled to pull on his shirt. Dr Slone went to him and gently helped him, straightening it up and doing up the buttons.

"I want to see you back here in four days time," he told him.

"I don't know if..."

Dr Slone gave him a look that brooked no argument.

"In the meantime this is my card. I want you to call me if you have any problems...medical or otherwise. You understand?"

Lee looked into the concerned face of the older man and found he couldn't speak. It had been a long harrowing day and emotion was starting to catch up on him.

"Come on," the doctor helped him down from the examination table.

"My wallet is in my back pocket," Lee told him, "if you could take it out for me..."

"This one's on the house. If you can't help a renegade on the run from the mob who can you help," the Doctor said as he showed Lee out to the hall.

"Do you have a lift home?" He asked. "If you wait a minute I can get dressed."

"No," Lee shook his head, "I have my car."

Dr Slone nodded. "Don't forget, I want to see you back here on Thursday. You can ring and make an appointment with my wife.

Thursday!"

Lee nodded, knowing full well he wouldn't be able to keep that appointment.

"Thank you," he muttered with a small smile as he headed out.

He walked to his car and managed to sit in the drivers seat without the excruciating pain overwhelming his senses. The doctor had patched him up good.

As he drove through the empty streets his thoughts crashed in on him. He thought of Amanda and her children and that surveillance team honed to take them out if he didn't do everything they said. He could not go to Billy.

These guys were good. He never saw them coming. He would have to do everything they say, until he could think of a workable plan.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

When he did finally get some sleep his night was filled with pain induced nightmares. The medication took the edge off his symptoms but it could not work miracles. It could not undo the damage. He whined softly in his sleep as he turned over. Just after dawn he eased himself up off the pillow and tried to come awake. He'd give anything to just stay here and lick his wounds but that was not an option. They told him to keep everything as normal as possible, to do everything he would normally do. He hauled himself up and trudged to the bathroom. He washed as best he could careful to avoid the tight bandage around his middle. He pulled on a suit and told himself he looked normal, he looked okay. But the constant pain in his gut made his head swim and brought stars to his eyes. He took the small bottle of pain killers out to the kitchen and took two pills with a glass of water.

~o~

"Champagne for breakfast, now I know I'm in your good books Billy," Amanda smiled as he handed her the glass.

"It's not every day we put a hood like Lester Craig away for life. This is a big day for all of us," Billy beamed at her.

Francine took up her glass and gave Amanda a stiff little smile.

"Well done Amanda, I know Lee would have done most of the groundwork, but you..."

She didn't get to finish her point as Lee himself could be seen coming through the glass door at the other end of the office.

"What's all this," he smiled as he went to join them.

"Lee it's the best news," Amanda told him. "Lester Craig has been found guilty on all counts. Thanks to your evidence the jury took only minutes to bring in a verdict,"

"Cause for celebration," Billy smiled as he poured a glass for Lee.

"No thanks Billy. It's a bit early in the morning," he smiled.

"Aww come on Lee," Amanda rounded on him enthusiastically.

He backed up suddenly, giving her a look she couldn't quite read.

She froze in her actions.

"I'll have some later. We need to get going Amanda. We...have that Sharps case to finish up too."

"Yeah of course," Amanda put her glass down.

She smiled as Billy gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Well done Amanda."

"Thanks Billy, but we super agents don't want praise or champagne, we just need to know the world is a safer place for our efforts,"

She was hoping to crack a smile out of Lee with that comment but he was distracted refilling bullets in his gun.

"Lee I would ask that you don't keep bullets in your desk drawer, they belong in the cabinet," Billy told him.

Lee nodded to Billy and then he took a sip of the cold coffee sitting on his desk since yesterday.

"You want coffee Lee?" Amanda asked.

"No that'll do,"

"Are you okay?" She asked trying to make eye contact.

"I'm fine," he nodded with a half smile. "I didn't sleep well last night."

"Oh you poor thing, I have a sure fire cure for that. One of mothers herbal remedies, tastes vile but trust me, it saves lives."

Lee nodded as he took in all that she said.

"Are you sure you're okay Lee?"

"Ask me that again and see what happens," he gave her a devilish grin.

"Don't you dare, I don't trust you. I'm walking out first and you stay right back there Stetson," she smirked as she took her bag and headed for the door.

Lee grinned back but the good humour never quite reached his eyes. He took in a ragged breath. He could pull this off. He could keep things normal, he told himself.

They were watching, he knew they were. He was tailed from his apartment, a white Sudan car. He needed to bide his time. He had friends he could contact. Friends he had risked his life to save in the past. They could extract the children, take them to a safe house. Once Jamie and Philip were out of the equation it would be a whole different ball game he told himself. But he needed to bide his time. They'll be expecting reaction, they'll be on the alert. He must wait until their guard is down. He knew who to call but timing was everything.

Amanda appeared back at the door and gave him a curious look.

"Yeah I'm coming," he took hold and stirred her out to the landing before she could comment.

~o~

"So what's the plan," Amanda asked as they drove through busy morning traffic.

"It's a simple matter, we pick up Sharp outside his office. We have the deals he struck overseas, we have proof he laundered the money betting on horses we just need to pick him up."

"Why outside his office?" Amanda asked.

"That building is wall to wall his people. He has more security than The Pope. They probably would allow a formal arrest. They'd probably call his lawyer but why take the chance on trouble. We know that at 11.30 every day he leaves the office to frequent a certain eatery down the block. Easier to pick him up then." Lee nodded.

"Lee?"

"Don't ask again Amanda."

"I'm worried about you,"

He reached over and took her hand to reassure her.

"I can't put my finger on it, you don't even look well."

"We bin putting in a lot of hours," he said a little too quickly.

"Look there's his office, swanky huh?"

Amanda decided to abandon it and concentrate on the job in hand. Maybe he was as he said, just tired.

"Ok, this should be simple enough. He will be out in twenty minutes. As soon as he appears I'll walk across to meet him, you bring the car around. Hopefully he'll be anxious to avoid embarrassment, self respecting thug that he is."

"Lee,"

"What?"

"Aren't those protesters setting up outside the building?"

Amanda pointed as a mini bus had pulled up and a group of scruffy middle aged people were piling out baring large signs.

"Ok that's him, and one hired goon, this should be ok. Wish me luck,"

Lee got out, adjusted his jacket and crossed the street.

Amanda slipped over to the driver seat. She banked the car out into the traffic and drove down the road in order to turn round.

Lee kept his eyes on the man as he made for his limousine. For one brief moment their eyes met and then a plump middle aged woman stood directly in his way.

"Do not enter that building, do you know what his products are doing to the environment. Do you even care?"

Lee tried to side step the woman as Sharp saw his moment and took off running. Assuming that the agent was trying to attack her she hit him full force with her sign and he went down. Adrenaline pumping, Lee got back up immediately and gave chase. They couldn't let Sharp get away. He had millions of friends. He could use umpteen connections and just disappear never to be seen again.

Lee tore after him, pounding through lane ways and across busy streets with car horns blaring at him. Finally in a deserted back street he began to catch up. He made a dive for him and brought Sharp to the ground. They both scrambled back up. Lee swung for him but Sharp was just a fraction faster. He punched Lee full in the stomach. With a grimace of pain he went to his knees and fell to the ground. Sharp couldn't believe his luck. He stared for a moment at the injured agent and then he took off running. Lee lay on the ground trying to catch his breath as the excruciating pain tore through him. Tears came to his eyes as he cradled his stomach and tried to breath through it.

Minutes later Amanda arrived on the scene.

"Lee!"

"We lost him," he said as he made an effort to sit up.

"Are you okay Lee, did he hurt you?"

"He just knocked the wind out of my sails," Lee grinned. "Will you...go to the car, call it in Amanda?"

"I don't..."

"Please Amanda, headquarters will need to know to secure the airports." He told her.

She nodded, knowing full well how important that was and hurried back to the car to put in the call.

Once she was out of sight Lee moved to get up. He bit his bottom lip against the pain as he turned and used the rungs of a steel fence to pull himself to standing position. He wished he had water, he was getting light headed again. He went to his pocket and took out the little bottle of pills.

~o~

The rest of the day was spent searching out Sharps old haunts. A fruitless search he was long gone, probably holed up in some safe house across the city.

The evening hours should have brought some respite for the agent but Lee was in turmoil. He dreaded the thoughts of Amanda and her boys going back to that house but he had to play the game on their terms for now.

He trudged through his front door and threw the keys on a plate on the windowsill.

Immediately he was grabbed from behind and thrown up against the wall. They searched him removing his firearm and a knife he kept hidden in his jacket. Then he was spun around to face his tormentors.

"How did you get in here?" He asked.

She got up from the table and went to him.

"Such questions, who do you think you're dealing with Mr Stetson."

"We have not been formerly introduced. From now on you may call me Margo...and I will refer to you as Lee. Important that we forgo the formalities if we are to appear...intimate with each other."

Lee grimaced.

As if reading his thoughts she took the knife from one of her henchmen. Lee struggled in the men's grip as she approached him.

Slowly she took the blade and slid it down the side on his face so light so as not to cut him. Lee kept very still eying the blade as she worked.

"You will tell those around you that you have a new girlfriend. We need to meet tomorrow and discuss the interior workings of the gallery. We will meet for lunch yes?"

She slid the blade down and let it rest on his jugular vein pressing just that bit harder.

"Yes," Lee said quietly.

She smiled warmly at him as she removed the blade. She took the speck of blood from it's tip and brought it to her lips.

"You have been seen frequenting a sandwich bar across the street from where you work, O Brian's I believe it is called."

Lee bristled at this, realising that they had him under surveillance for some time.

"I will meet you there at 1.30 tomorrow. There is someone I would very much like you to meet. He used to work at the gallery. He will give us inside information."

"Whatever you say."

She moved in close and ran the back of her hand down the side of his cheek in an almost tender caress. Lee closed his eyes fighting off the wave of nausea that crawled up to his throat.

"You've had a trying day, we will leave you now. You rest. I will expect you at 1.30 tomorrow. Oh and I have good news, the boys liked their new teachers. Jamie especially showed a fine aptitude for his history lesson. He is a bright boy."

Lee didn't answer.

"I will expect you at lunchtime tomorrow, do not be late."

Those holding him in place shoved him forward and then shuffled out after their mistress. Soon he was alone in his front room. He took in a ragged breath as he watched them pile into a black Land Rover and drive off at speed.


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks so much for all your reviews. You have been very encouraging and I appreciate it. Sorry I'm late with this on. RL was getting in the way. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 3

There was little sleep to be had that night, very little respite from the constant strain. Once the first pale strips of light appeared in the morning sky Lee got to his feet and stumbled his way to the bathroom. It wasn't so much the pain anymore , the injuries to his ribs were now bearable even if they were making his movements more difficult. No, it wasn't the physical pain it was all that went with it.

He looked at his reflection in the mirror, his face, drawn and anxious. This...woman expected him to pass her off as his girlfriend. He would have to tell people he was actively involved with her. He grimaced to himself as he remembered the touch of her hand on his face. So invasive, so over familiar. She was vile. But somehow he would have to make it work. Whatever she wanted.

He would have to keep her sweet and buy himself some time.

~o~

Amanda was never short on conversation and she did most of the talking this morning. She had given up on asking him if he was ok and decided instead to give him some space. After all they were not actively dating were they. The last thing Lee wants is someone who is pushy and always wanting him to confess everything. She was going to be a good partner and give him his space as much as it killed her. And then if he doesn't eventually talk to her, she would have to beat it out of him, she grinned to herself as they headed for the lift.

They'd had a tip off that Sharp was staying with an ex employee in a dilapidated slum downtown. He had hired dozens of illegals to work in his many sweatshops over the years paying them little in return.

He also expected them to hide him when his dodgy dealings brought unwanted attention.

"Right I'm going in. Stay here Amanda. You can call for backup if we run into trouble."

"Be careful Lee, don't do anything foolish."

He just nodded without comment and headed out. Amanda watched him cross the street. Her eyes narrowed as she noted the rather stiff way he moved. Was he in pain?.

All her cheerful conversation belied the fact that she was worried about him.

Was it her, was she the problem?.

They had busted a major criminal who had evaded the law for years and yet she Amanda was the one drinking champagne with their boss. Perhaps Lee doesn't like to share credit. Amanda frowned to herself. That didn't sound like him though. On a normal day he wasn't petty like that. But maybe he's tired of having a partner to constantly think about. After all, he was carrying her, she wasn't a real agent, was she.

Just then Sharp came flying out of the building. Amanda could see him through her wing mirror. Without thinking she stepped on the gas and pulled the car into reverse. She moved so fast Sharp slammed right into the side of the reversing car and landed on his ass on the pavement. Lee appeared just then and pulled the thug to his feet.

"Hay, this is police brutality. She could have killed me," he yelled.

"Get in the car and shut up."

Lee forced him into the back seat and got in beside him brandishing his gun.

~o~

An hour later Sharp was safely dispatched and awaiting transport to the local lockup,

"All done except for the paperwork." Amanda smiled as they headed out of the building. She stood on the sidewalk smiling up at him expectantly.

Lee nodded, "yep the dreaded paperwork. We really should hire someone to take care of that for us."

"There's not enough money in the world Lee, personally I'd rather clean toilets."

Usually such a comment would generate at least a smile from him but he was looking at someone across the road.

Amanda followed his gaze and noted a woman in a brown leather coat and dark business suit.

Amanda turned questioning eyes up to him.

"She's an old friend," Lee told her. " I met up with her again recently and we said we'd do lunch."

Amanda tried very hard to keep her face even but her cheeks began to flush.

"Oh, that, that's nice. She seems...nice. Enjoy your lunch."

She managed to give him a beaming smile.

"I'd ask you to join us but you'd probably be bored. We'll just be talking over old times."

"No, you go. Have fun." She moved forward and straightened his tie as if he were one of her boys.

"I'll see you after lunch then."

He gave her a look then that she couldn't quite read. If she didn't know better she would think there was a vulnerability in that look.

It was as if he suddenly wanted to hug her.

He crossed the road and went up to the woman. Amanda stood routed to the spot she couldn't help herself. She watched with growing mortification as the woman wrapped her arms about his neck and pulled him into a lingering familiar kiss.

Amanda eventually got a hold of herself. She turned awkwardly and started walking down the street away from the scene. As flustered as she was she walked right out in front of a car, the driver slamming on the horn and issuing a string of expletives at her. She turned hoping that he hadn't seen but he had already entered the restaurant with the woman.

~o~

Amanda spent the hour sat at a pizza bar biting lumps out of a pizza she couldn't even taste. At times she swiped at the moisture building in her eyes until the lady across the way offered her a napkin. It was no good. Amanda got to her feet and headed up the rickety stairs to the establishments only bathroom. She went into the tiny cubical, locked the door and sat on the toilet. The door blazed over as tears spilled from her eyes. Despite her best efforts to be an adult about this, fat tears ran down her face faster than she could wipe them. She tried to tell herself she was being stupid. She told herself she had fancied men before. Why did she have to be such a jackass about this one. But still the tears flowed. Eventually, thankfully the tears began to subside but it left behind a vague misery that settled around her and brought her crashing into reality. She wasn't cute anymore, she was a single ageing woman with two kids and a job she wasn't qualified for.

Of course he would go for someone else. He's been around the world, been with the most exotic women. Why should he be interested in a divorced housewife.

Amanda swiped at the last tear and set her mouth in a firm line.

It's ok. Disappointments happen.

She nodded to herself

Disappointments happen.

~o~

Lee was glad to be finally through with this luncheon. Margo's perfume was overpowering and she sat uncomfortably close to him. The ex employee from the gallery was enthusiastic as he detailed the layout of the building and possible security pitfalls they could expect. It seemed as though he wanted to be Lee's best buddy as well as earning a packet of money for himself. He chided Lee on what he would spend it on. The trips to Thailand, the women, the coke. Obviously the gang hadn't explained to him that Lee's involvement in this wasn't voluntary.

The employee scuttled off through the traffic leaving Lee and Margo standing together outside the restaurant.

"You were wonderful," she told him.

He looked at her with a coldness he rarely showed to another person.

"There's no reason we should be at odds with each other Lee. Remember, this isn't personal. Actually as a person I quite like you."

He continued to look at her. There were no words.

She went to him, smiling demurely.

"You think I'm this hard determined woman with nothing but work on my mind. I'm not you know. I'm really a pussycat,"

She was obviously in a rare good temper and this is what it looked like.

Lee took her hands from about his neck.

"I don't think about you at all," he told her coldly.

The playful pout vanished immediately and she looked at him with a face turned to stone.

"Don't push me Lee. You don't know who the fuck you're dealing with. Play nice."

With that she crossed the street and glided into the back of an unmarked limousine. Lee watched her go. Her confidence was unsettling. He had gotten the wrong side of her and he had the disconcerting feeling he was going to pay for that.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

 **Thanks so much for your reviews, you make writing SAMK stories so much fun. I hope you enjoy the rest of the story.**

~o~

Amanda stared up at the stars, some of them dull specks in the inky black sky, one or two burned more fiercely. She needed a moment alone to collect her thoughts. Typical, the one night of the week Mother went to play bridge with the girls. She really could have done with some time to herself tonight. But for what, to spend the evening feeling sorry for herself. to cry herself to sleep over another failed relationship.

Philip came out to the garden and stood just behind her.

She wiped her eyes quickly and turned to face him.

"What is it sweetheart?"

"Mom there's someone looking at us from across the street. There's a man..." The little boy pulled slightly on her hand to make her come with him.

Amanda's heart gave a little leap. Perhaps it was Lee, maybe he needed to talk. She knew what advice she'd like to give him. She smiled to herself as she followed Philip to the front of the house and out to the porch.

"He's gone, he was right there by that fence," Jamie pointed to a picket fence across the street.

Amanda frowned. That wasn't like Lee. He wouldn't do something that would deliberately scare her boys. Perhaps she'd ring him and find out.

"Right come on you two, in the house."

"Aw but mom, there's no school tomorrow."

"And if you go to bed early you can get up all the earlier tomorrow and enjoy it," she said as she herded them into the house.

"With much groans both boys headed towards their bedroom."

"Mom, can we watch the A Team, Philip taped it yesterday."

"Yes you can watch The A Team, then straight to sleep."

As soon as she had the room to herself Amanda took up the phone and thumped out the well remembered number. She plonked down on the chair and swung her legs over the side of it. She smiled to herself as she noted the phone rang out. It must have been him. It was him definitely. Her smile grew broader.

~o~

She stood up as they brought him in. She had agreed to this mission for the dividend it would pay out, enough money to keep her comfortable for years. What she hadn't figured on was the agent Lee Stetson. He took her breath away.

Now escorted into the empty warehouse by her many associates, he was dressed in less formal attire. A grey sweater over a white shirt and faded jeans. He looked stunning. She wanted him. She ran her tongue over her dry lips as she took in his profile from head to foot.

As if he could sense her inappropriate scrutiny of him, he looked away putting up an invisible barrier between them.

Rodriguez noted the exchange between Margo and the prisoner. In a sudden fit of temper he moved forward and punched Lee full in the face. The move caught the agent by surprise and he hit the ground with force.

He lay there, swiping at the blood trickling from his nose, listening intently to the exchange between his two captors.

"Never hit his face. What is hard to understand?" she snapped.

"Well," he tried to argue. "You look at him."

"What are you talking about?"

"You look at him," he yelled.

He kicked Lee savagely in the back as he lay on the ground.

"You look at this man, you not professional."

She looked to the others.

"Sit him on a chair. Tie him up." She barked.

Lee watched as she gestured for Rodriguez to follow her. As he was hauled into a chair and his hands were brought behind him he watched the exchange in a little porter cabin just a little away from them. Although they brought the blind down the light was left on and he could see Rodriguez gesturing wildly. Rodriguez had a thing for her that was becoming obvious, Lee stored this information for later.

His hands were now tied and he tried to back away as one of the bigger henchmen took hold of his collar and brought a damp cloth to his face. He fought so much it took two of them to keep his head still.

"It's just to clean the blood off," one of them lied.

"Keep still."

He fought on but inevitably they managed to place the cloth over his mouth and nose.

"Just breathe evenly," they told him. "Don't fight it. It's not going to hurt you."

He couldn't hold his breath forever, not long after Lee began to feel the effects of the drug taking hold.

His features began to mellow as a warm euphoric feeling quickly spread through his whole body.

"Good stuff eh," the man smiled into his face,

His hispanic accent sounded like nothing Lee had ever heard. He could listen all day.

"He in better form now," the man smiled as the two approached.

Margo gently lifted his face and smiled down at him.

"That's better isn't it. We have a lot of ground to cover and we need your full cooperation. There is plenty more where that came from."

They spent the next two hours going through slides of the Tiffany Gallery, talking about the security measures as leaked by the employee. Despite himself and in his altered state Lee answered all their questions. He told them of the special fluid, it wasn't even given a name. If it was scraped carefully over any lock, the lock could be picked without setting off the alarms. He told them how to deactivate laser alarms and what to look for in a standard sealed glass cabinet. He just about told them everything they needed to know.

The others were happy with the way this meeting was progressing but Rodriguez scowled as he noted how Margo was hurrying things along as if she had other things in mind.

He looked over at Stetson. Gone was the shrewd guarded behaviour you'd expect from a man in captivity. He looked drunk, vulnerable. Rodriguez growled to himself. He'd like nothing better than to take pretty boy and drag him to a freezing lake and drop him in. Watch him try to swim in all his clothes and goofed out on drugs.

The meeting was over and the participants were heading back to their cars, all parked in another corner of the warehouse. Lee was still tied to the chair, the blood had formed a dried red mark just above his lip.

She crouched down to look into his eyes.

"I'll take you home now,"

She smiled, biting her bottom lip in anticipation.

He nodded to her meeting her gaze for just a moment.

She put a hand to his neck and leaned in for a kiss. He responded opening his mouth slightly as she put her lips to his. She took full advantage kissing him deeply, pushing her tongue in and invading his sweet mouth, savouring the taste of him as their lips moved together.

"I'm taking him home," Rodriguez yelled.

He had been talking with one of their other colleagues as the man got into his car and he had returned then just in time to see the kiss.

"I'll take him home," he growled, taking her arm and pushing her roughly away.

"Alright, alright."

"I'll see you tomorrow Mr Stetson," she said rather awkwardly.

"You stay away from him...slut!"

Rodriguez took a pen knife from his pocket and held it to Lee's face. But the drugged up agent just stared straight ahead.

With a growl of frustration then he reached behind the agent and cut the ropes holding his wrists together. Then he pulled him to his feet. Lee stumbled forward. Rodriguez signalled for his larger partner to come and help. Together they dragged Lee to the car and threw him onto the back seat. He just lay there unable to help himself. Rodriguez drove like a mad man through the empty streets ignoring his partners continued warnings about attracting attention.

Once outside Lee's apartment Rodriguez got out, opened the back door and pulled the man out by his legs. He slid out and his head came down on the concrete with a dull crack. The other man winced at the sound.

Before Rodriguez could do more the other man took hold of the agent hauled him up and began walking him towards the house. His head was bleeding but it looked to be a superficial wound. The man opened the door and literally pushed him in closing the door after him. Lee fell to his knees in the hall and then landed flat out on the carpet.

Outside Rodriguez was arguing with the other man. He wanted so much to finish it. Fuck the mission. Fuck the diamond and fuck that slut. He wanted to finish this suave bastard put a bullet between his ears. But the other man managed to placate him. Eventually he got back in the car and drove off.

~o~

Lee was in no fit shape. He had no idea how long he had been lying there but daylight was now streaming through the hall window shining directly in his eyes. He had to move. His head was pounding and his eyes couldn't seem to focus but still he managed to haul himself up from the blood stained carpet. He had a quick wash, changed clothes and took two painkillers with a cup of coffee before heading out. Once in the car he reached into the glove compartment and took out the first aid box. He put a band aid over the cut above his eye and told himself that he looked normal. He looked anything but. He had neglected to shave that morning and his hair had lost the groomed look it usually had. It hung over his forehead falling into his eyes.

~o~

"Rough night?" Amanda asked, somewhat tetchy as she typed out the second report linked to the Sharp's case.

Lee just nodded and headed over to the coffee machine. She went to get a cup for herself.

"I don't mind doing all the paperwork but would it be too much to ask that you bring some Danish pastries when you're late?"

She asked.

"I know, I forgot I'm sorry." He mumbled as he reached over to grab some sugar.

Amanda looked down.

She touched his sleeve and raised it slightly.

"You have a cigarette burn on your arm."

Lee quickly pulled down his sleeve.

"That's, that's not..."

"I saw that film in training Lee. The film on torture and abuse. That's the mark of a cigarette being ground into the skin. Jesus Christ Lee..."

"Keep your voice down," he growled.

He took a moment and then continued. "I was at a bar last night, things got kinda out of hand."

"Is that how you got the bump on your head, and the bruise to your jaw, you were at a bar?"

He nodded.

"I don't buy that for one second Lee. In all the time I've known you you've never shown such little regard for your position here. You've never turned up late for work and you've never drank the night before you were due to come in. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with it Lee but it's just not you."

He took a moment, she could see his brain working trying to form a response.

"Lee talk to me, please!" She took his hands trying to make eye contact.

He couldn't answer. He pulled from her grasp and headed out towards the restroom.

Amanda looked to Billy, she could see him through the glass partition. He was in deep conversation with someone on the phone, he hadn't noticed the exchange.

Amanda frowned to herself. What was she going to say. Lee's new girlfriend was making him crazy. Was she really that jealous that she would report to Billy about his personal life. But deep down Amanda knew there was something more. There was a look in his eyes that disturbed her more than anything. If she didn't know Lee Stetson any better she would think that look was a look of fear.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Lee returned some minutes later. Amanda knew she was going to get nothing out of him now. His face was unreadable, he had that hard exterior back in place. But she had to try.

"So now are you going to tell me what's been going on. Why you've been so quiet lately, why you've been non contactable on the phone, why you look like you've been…. beaten up."

Amanda tried to stay professional even as tears stung the back of her eyes.

Lee tried to laugh.

"Amanda, I already told you. I was at a bar. Things got out of hand.

Look, some local scum started in on Margot, coming on to her, making comments. I intervened. Things got out of hand. Simple as."

"Margot, that lady you had lunch with."

Lee nodded, though his face seemed to darken slightly at the mention of her name.

"Yeah that lady I had lunch with."

"Is she your girlfriend?"

Lee just looked at Amanda.

"I'm sorry," she held up her hands. " it's none of my business."

Lee couldn't speak. She had misread his look completely. It wasn't distain for her that crossed his face just then. Just at that moment through the haze of patchy recollection he relived that kiss with Margot. He felt again her lips grinding on his, could smell again her overpowering perfume. He was repulsed and though he hated to admit it, he felt violated.

He looked into Amanda's questioning eyes and wished he could talk to her. Funny he never wanted a partner, especially not a female partner but he was finding he could tell this girl most anything. She didn't judge or try to put her own points across all the time like most people. She just listened. It had to be said, Amanda King was a good listener, But that was the whole problem wasn't it. That was the problem right there. He would have gotten rid of her long since if it weren't for that. He cursed himself. His own selfishness. He had put this woman and her children in danger. He should never have agreed to partner up with her.

"I need to head out for a while cover for me will you," he went to his desk and took up his keys.

"I suppose there's no point in my asking where you're going?"

As he grabbed his coat Lee gave her that dimpled smile which usually sent a flush right through her. He was so handsome. But the smile was lost to her now as she noted again that dark patch at his chin and the band aid just above his left eye.

~o~

Amanda could only watch him go. She knew enough about men to know nagging him wasn't going to solve anything. It would just make him clam up even more. But she was worried. He was a sweet guy, not as shrewd as he liked to think. This Margot person was obviously a bad influence bringing him to rowdy bars, keeping him out till all hours.

Amanda chastised herself. He wasn't one of her boys, he was a grown man and his dealings with the opposite sex were none of her concern. That's what she told herself but despite what she tried to believe Lee Stetson was very much her concern.

"Amanda?"

She jumped slightly as Billy approached her desk.

"Sir, eh Lee had to go out. He said he'd be back shortly."

"That's ok, we'll send a search party if he ain't back for lunch," he smiled.

Amanda nodded as she tried to smile too.

"Good idea sir."

"Amanda do you know anything about wedding presents?"

"Wedding presents sir?"

"Yeah a close friend of my wife is getting married in the fall and I need to find something appropriate. My wife is down with shingles as you know…"

"Oh yeah I heard about that Sir, how's she doing,"

"She's sore as hell and driving me crazy. Which is why I'm not going to be bothering her with this."

"Of course sir, I'll help you find something,"

"Here, step into my office a minute and we can bandy around some ideas."

Amanda took up a note book and pen and followed her boss into his office. It wasn't much of a strange request and she knew why he had asked her. Other female agents like Francine would not appreciate such a request citing it as sexist. But Amanda didn't mind.

Though once the door closed after them Billy's face became more serious.

"Amanda, take a seat," he said gently as he went to sit behind his desk.

"This isn't about a wedding gift is it sir."

"No, and I'm sorry. We've had security breaches in the past. It's best not to discuss things in the open plan office."

"Very wise sir," Amanda said quietly.

"You know why I've called you in here,"

"No sir," Amanda's face began to flush.

If the situation wasn't so serious he would have chuckled as his newest recruits inability to hold up under questioning.

"It's about Lee, I was just concerned. He seemed to have seen some action though he hasn't filed a report yet."

"He eh…..well he hasn't said…."

Billy leaned forward on his desk.

"Amanda, we are all on the same side here. If Lee is in some kind of trouble we need to know."

"He said he was at a bar last night with his new girlfriend and things got out of hand," Amanda blurted.

"New girlfriend?"

Billy looked suspicious at that and Amanda felt like the most disloyal person on the planet but it was out now.

"She's an old flame. He met up with her again recently."

Billy scrutinised the young woman in front of him for some minutes.

"You're not buying this are you Amanda. You don't believe his story."

"Well of course I do. Why, why should he lil lie," Amanda began to stumble on her words.

Billy shook his head,

"No Amanda, you don't believe his story. When I asked you just now if he was in trouble you said, he SAID he was at a bar. You don't believe his story Amanda any more than I do."

There was silence between them then. Silence for too long. Then something happened.

Amanda would have given anything if it hadn't but she couldn't help it. The thoughts of his haunted expression brought tears to her eyes. She tried to swipe them away quickly.

Billy reached into his desk and brought out a box of tissues.

"Amanda I'm not here to interrogate you, You're new to our ways here and you're doing a fine job but you're doing this man no favours by covering up for him. Now please tell me, have you noticed anything strange. Has he been in contact with anyone besides his new girlfriend. Have you seen her, could you give a description."

"I saw her very clearly, she had dark hair and a brown leather coat."

"That's good, I'll have our sketch team work with you to get a profile together."

Before Amanda could digest this Billy had moved on.

"Was there anything else Amanda, did he make any phone calls or disappear for long periods?"

"No nothing like that though there was one thing, I could be wrong but it was like he was sporting an injury of some kind."

"Go on," Billy's face became more serious than she had ever seen.

"You know when someone has a bad back they walk kinda stiffly, he was moving like that."

"And nothing to account for that?" Billy asked.

"He was in an altercation with Sharp two days ago but in my gut I don't believe that was the reason sir."

Billy fiddled with the pen in front of him as he spoke.

"How's he been in himself Amanda, has he been talkin as normal or…."

Amanda wiped at the last of her tears.

"He hasn't been talking sir no. He's not himself."

Billy nodded with a grim smile.

"Thank you Amanda. You've been a great help. Now I have to ask that you do not breathe a word of this outside this office."

Amanda got to her feet and nervously headed for the door as Billy stood to show her out.

Before he opened the door she turned to him.

"Sir, I know this is forward of me but I have to ask. Have I gotten Lee, Agent Stetson into trouble?"

Billy put a hand to her shoulder.

"No….you haven't Amanda. I can't say much more than that, this is strictly a need to know basis. But if you want to help him I would urge you to say nothing of our meeting. Act normally around him and leave the rest to us. We have come up against this before."

Amanda had a dozen questions but knew better than to waste his time asking them. With a slight smile for him she headed back to her desk and started in on her paperwork ignoring the eyes of other agents wondering what the meeting was all about.

~o~

Lee set his jaw in annoyance as his latest bid for support went ignored. He was standing at a phone box in the hall of a run down apartment building trying to call in old favours. Every friend in the business seemed to be out of town or on some serious, dangerous case. It was so frustrating. He had busted his neck for these guys in the past and this one favour was all he asked. The kidnapping of two small boys, and no complications.

He had a safe house organised, he had his old friend Sam Mitchell standing by, all he needed was a driver.

"Lee, I'd like ta help man seriously I would but I got this injury. Shrapnel from a sawn off shotgun went straight through my knee."

Lee listened with half an ear to this bullshit story vowing never to come running again when one of these bozos lands in trouble.

A skinny half dressed girl clomped down the wooden steps towards the phone.

"Are you gonna be much longer?" She asked, her bangles clanking together as she put her hands to her hips.

"Give me a break sweetheart, will ye,"

Lee turned away from her and his eyes met with something outside. A black Land Rover had just pulled up.

Lee cursed under his breath as he handed her the receiver. He headed down the hall and pushed open a door leading to a sticky grease infested kitchen.

Behind him he could hear the skinny girl screaming as they burst in on top of her. Lee moved quickly pushing through rubbish and stepping on squealing rats in his hurry to find the door to the back yard. He put his shoulder to it as he heard three shots go off in the hall. He gained the back yard finally and used an old beer keg to vault up onto the high wall. More shots were fired at close range causing him to fall off the wall landing on the concrete lane below.

A car turned into the lane and began to speed towards him. Lee immediately got to his feet and limped into a run. He ran hard, clenching his teeth every time his twisted ankle hit the ground. He ran fiercely to the end of the lane but could not stop himself as he ran smack into the side of another car. He went down breathing hard and clutching his side which had been previously injured.

Rodriguez stepped smoothly out of the car as Lee was hauled to his feet.

"That was not smart Mr Stetson. I see you will now need a lesson in loyalty to your comrades. Your colleague will lose one child today because of you. Here's the fun part. You get to choose which child."

Lee spoke through ragged breaths.

"No, please. I won't….."

Rodriguez back handed him across the face.

After a minute Lee straightened up, fighting the urge to retaliate.

"You hurt one of those children and the deal is off. I'll do nothing for you." He told them calmly.

"Oh you will do everything we tell you Mr Stetson. Your girlfriend isn't here today to protect you. It's just you and me. And you need a lesson."

Rodriguez turned to his men.

"Put him in the car," he ordered.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The black Land Rover crawled towards the perimeter fence and came to a slow stop. A football bounced viciously off the fence and was kicked towards a make shift goal post. A roar went up as a goal was scored.

The playground was full of boys tearing around as school was in recess.

Rodriguez got out and Lee was pushed out after him.

"There is boy, the one with his jumper tied around his waist."

Rodriguez didn't need to point him out. Lee knew the child from various photographs Amanda proudly showed off.

Rodriguez signalled with a nod to a tall foreign looking man within the playground. He moved towards Philip. Lee could feel his breath quicken as he noted the man take hold of a weapon just inside his jacket.

"You've made your point," he told them quickly.

"You see I don't think we have. We only need one boy to keep you in line Mr Stetson the other is, how you say dispensable."

Lee watched as the man took hold of Philips arm and was talking to him.

"Who were you talking to Mr Stetson?"

"What?" Lee's eyes followed as the tall man began leading Philip away.

"We followed you to that apartment block. You thought you could hide there and make phone calls, who were you talking to?"

"Friends, I was talking to friends, Agents I used to know, contacts."

"I will expect you to furnish me with exact names Mr Stetson. We must leave no trace after this mission."

Despite himself Lee nodded. "You'll get exact names," he told him.

"Leave the child alone. He has nothing to do with this."

Rodriguez turned to him with a smile.

"It's not very professional Mr Stetson. Aren't you even going to pretend that you do not care for the boy?"

Lee shot him a look of disgust which only made him laugh all the more.

He gestured to the man within the playground. The man nodded and Philip was released. Lee watched every step as the boy crossed the yard to rejoin his friends in their game of marbles.

Rodriguez turned to Lee.

"Children die all the time Mr Stetson. It is nothing. In my home country they are gunned down every day as they walk the streets. Only here it is big deal. These children come from rich families and their lives are so important. You try again to call for help we will kill Philip King. His blood will be on your hands."

~o~

Reluctantly Billy scheduled a meeting with top brass. It was policy in the case of an extraordinary event such as this to keep management fully informed.

He would have preferred to keep it internal and talk to Lee himself but he had to follow procedure on this one.

Response was swift. James Myers, one of the top coordinators in the organisation called him up to his office that afternoon. Billy had only met him once before. He was dark, with sallow skin and sleek well groomed hair, handsome in a conventional way.

He addressed Billy with an air of concern and showed him to a seat.

A primly dressed middle aged woman bustled in baring a silver tray of coffee and tiny posh looking cookies.

She poured a cup for both men and quietly padded out of the room closing the door after her.

"According to the memo you sent we have an agent gone rogue would you say that is a fair assumption." Myers asked getting straight to the point.

Billy shook his head. "Not quite, I don't think it's as simple as that. I know Lee Stetson, I've worked with him since he first started here. This isn't him…."

"Everyone has their price. You said it yourself he has been acting out of character and failing to report in."

"Yeah all the hall marks of a turned agent but it's my feeling that he's acting under duress. He has injuries."

"Has he filed reports on them?"

Billy shook his head.

Myers leaned back in his chair.

"How long has this been going on?"

"Past four days, maybe more. He failed to call in on two consecutive evenings in a row and he showed up briefly this morning with visible bruises on his face. If he is turned rogue it is my feeling he's doing so not of his own free will."

Myers gave Billy a sympathetic smile.

"I can understand your reluctance, you've worked close with these people for a long time it's only natural you..."

"No, that's not it. This isn't some misplaced loyalty. I know the man. This is in direct contrast with his whole psyche. He lives for the job, he's passionate about what we do here. If you were to ask me to name any man in this building least likely to turn rogue it would be Lee Stetson."

"Point taken. But we will need to do a thorough investigation. I would urge you to say nothing of this to anyone."

Billy nodded agreement.

"Does anyone else know or suspect?"

"His partner Amanda King suspects there's something but she's good. She'll know to be discrete,"

"Amanda King," Myers wrote it down on a pad in front of him.

"We will need to interview her at some point and obviously we will need to bring him in find out what he's playing at."

"What will you do?" Billy asked, a slight edge of nervousness to his voice.

Myers smiled. "Obviously we hope he will volunteer the information but if not we have a program of medication we can use. Don't worry, he will still be in one piece when we finish. As I have stated, this is highly

classified."

"You don't have to tell me," Billy groused as he got up.

Myers leaned forward in his seat.

"If he turns up have security escort him to holding room 1. Do not divulge to them..."

"I know the drill," Billy turned to Myers. "This man is innocent. I will expect your men to treat him as such,"

"Of course." Myers smiled.

~o~

Lee never did turn up. Amanda waited as long as she could but eventually she had to start making a move. As she began clearing away her files Billy put a hand to her shoulder.

"He's on his way in," he told her.

With a small smile of relief she took her seat.

"No Amanda, you're off duty officially over an hour ago."

"Billy,"

He gave her a look she had never seen before but she understood completely. He was giving her a direct order.

Reluctantly she got to her feet, a world of worry on her face.

"This isn't his fault," she whispered desperately.

"There's a cigarette burn on his arm, someone is hurting..."

"Shhh," Billy urged her to silence.

"I'm staying on here. I'll keep an eye on things. You get on home, try not to worry."

Lee arrived in twenty minutes later. As soon as he came to the main offices he got the message to meet Billy in the conference room on the top floor. He knew immediately the game was up. He couldn't answer questions. He needed to speak to Amanda, he should have done this before.

He went back in the lift and hit the button. The lift sped downwards towards the basement car park.

He stepped out but many hands brought him back in. Five large men from security got into the lift with him.

One installed a key and turned it to close the lift door and lock it.

"Place your hands on top of your head please sir."

Lee did so, his heart pounding in his ears. They searched him removing his gun, a concealed knife in his sleeve and a dart pen from his shirt pocket.

"There something here," one man muttered as he pressed on his sides. Lee grimaced in pain.

The other man noticed his discomfort.

"Put your hands down by your sides," he ordered.

They pulled his tie lose and opened the buttons of his shirt revealing the thick bandage wound around his middle.

"Looks alright, it's just cotton." The large man nodded with some relief pressing on the fabric to be sure.

He took handcuffs from his belt and turned Lee around to place them on his wrists.

Lee was silent as the cuffs were fastened home. He should have expected this but now it had happened he realised he had played this whole game wrong. If he had gone to Billy initially he could have explained and perhaps have gotten some help, now he was trapped.

~o~

Try not to worry, that was impossible. As she cooked up spaghetti and meatballs she was in a daze. It all fitted into place now, she knew right well Lee was in some sort of serious trouble. She was so sorry she hadn't confronted him. She was so sorry she had spoken to Billy.

"Jamie quit playing with that spaghetti. I'm not washing your hair tonight." She snapped.

"I don't like it, it's cold," the boy frowned.

"It's cold because you're playing with it,"

"Can I go do my homework?" He asked.

"Yeah go on,"

Jamie got up and headed off towards the boys bedroom, Philip got up to follow.

"Not you," Amanda snapped. "You haven't touched your spaghetti."

"I'm not hungry," he whined.

"Well I don't care, I've spent hours cooking..."

Amanda stopped short as she noted the little boys chin begin to tremble. She hadn't seen that in years.

"Philip what is it," she dropped her wooden spoon on the counter and crouched down to his level.

He shook his head and turned away from her as fat tears began to run down his cheeks.

"No Philip, what is it, tell mommy," she turned him to face her.

"I don't wanna got ta school tomorrow, I don't like my teacher."

"Ok, what did he say," Amanda smiled brushing his fringe back from his face.

The boy shook his head. "He doesn't say anything. But he's always watching me and Jamie. He scares me,"

"He has to watch you, that's his job. He's taking care of you,"

Philip nodded with a shuddering sigh.

"Was there anything else Philip, does he hug you or put you on his lap. Remember we had that talk,"

Philip looked directly at her, "no mom, it's nothing like that. He just looks at me but he scares me."

"Don't worry," Amanda ruffled his hair. "I had an old school mom once who used to chase us around the playground and smack our behinds if we were running too fast. Acting like boys again she'd say. It wasn't ladylike to run when I was a kid,"

"You should have been born a boy mom,"

Amanda nodded with a smile, "absolutely, boys have more fun.

Don't worry about your new teacher. He's probably nervous and watching over you a little too much,"

"You're probably right mom." Philip nodded with a smile of his own.

"You know, we didn't get to go to the lake this summer. Perhaps we could go tomorrow."

"What mom, really, but what about school?"

"I think you could catch up. You and Jamie have been working hard. You need a break. We'll go for a week or so while the weathers still warm."

"Wow, thanks mom."

"Now go tell Jamie and start packing."

The boy ran towards his bedroom gleefully excited at the news.

Amanda shivered. After a moment she ran over and pulled down the blind in the kitchen, her scared eyes wide with alarm.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

As soon as ever Billy Melrose left his office the smile vanished from Myers face. He got up from his desk and went out to his secretary.

"Would you ask Mr. Hope to come in here please," he asked, trying to keep his voice even.

She got up immediately to do his bidding. Minutes later a lean young man with dark curly hair and a confident smile entered his office and walked the length of it, hands in pockets.

"What is it now, you run out of paper clips?"

His smile faded as he noted the anxiety on the other mans face.

"What is it?" He asked.

"They're on to us, Melrose downstairs knows."

Keenan Hope's face blanched at this news.

"But what, how...how can they know?"

"That gang you hired left visible marks on the agent. That and his erratic behaviour has alerted suspicion."

"What do you mean 'the gang I hired' We're in this together remember?" Hope snapped defensively.

Myers just nodded. "We'll have to tell Mr. Thorn. He's not going to be pleased."

Hope closed his eyes and tried to breathe.

"What'll happen. I can't lose my job, I can't go to prison."

"We'll need to talk to Mr. Thorn, explain it somehow. The gang will have to be hunted down and eradicated. The agent too will have to be killed quietly."

Myers went to a polished wooden cabinet and with a shaky hand he poured himself a measure of whisky and downed it in one.

"Perhaps nothing will happen," he said.

"Perhaps the gang will go to prison and Agent Stetson will meet with an unfortunate accident."

Hope shook his head.

"Do you really think Rodriguez will go to prison without putting the finger on those who hired him. James we have collected many precious gems over the years, I think our best bet would be a quick sale and split the takings between us all. We could live out the rest of our lives on an island in the med. actually I should think that would be our only option."

Hope expected an answer but Myers was thinking.

He spoke eventually.

"Melrose mentioned the new recruit, apparently she suspects something."

"The housewife?"

"Yeah, the housewife with the kids."

"Such a fucking mess," Hope ran a shaky hand through his dark hair.

~o~

Minutes later they were in a large office adorned with valuable antique furniture and a deep shag carpet.

Marcus Thorn sat behind his desk listening to the news, his face an unreadable mask.

"Sit down gentlemen," he said quietly.

They both took seats sitting bolt upright in direct contrast to him sitting back on his fine leather chair.

"I see," he said eventually.

"Where is the agent now?" He asked.

"We just got word, he arrived in just a few minutes ago. They have taken him to holding room one."

"He's turned up, well that's good news anyway. I'll get word to Rodriguez, we'll need to call the whole thing off. I'll pay him for his work so far. He'll fade back into the woodwork and we will just have to take the loss. Unfortunately gentlemen this is one diamond that will have to slip through our fingers."

They both nodded breathing a sigh of relief at Thorns calm logic.

He leaned forward in his seat.

"As for Young Mr. Stetson that's another story. Myers, I'm going to leave that in your capable hands. This calls for delicate handling."

"What do you suggest sir?"

"I leave that entirely at your discretion Mr. Myers. I have every faith in you. But know this Mr. Stetson is a determined man. He will want to get to the route cause of this recent unpleasantness. He is a clever, conscientious young man which is the reason I singled him out for this diamond recovery mission. You will need to bring him down but do so in such a way as to not incur undue suspicion.

Rodriguez was a mistake. A vicious bully, I should have known he would have gone too far and left marks. I will expect more from you Mr Myers."

The younger man nodded.

"Sir, what about Billy Melrose and the house...er Mrs King?"

"No, that shouldn't be a worry. Don't forget Mr. Stetson believes that if he tells what he knows two small boys will lose their lives so he will say nothing hoping to somehow fix this mess himself."

Myers shook his head "We'll go straight to hell when we die," he said.

"We haven't killed anyone yet Mr Myers." Thorn told him.

"Yes we will have to put an end to Stetsons life but we can do that humanly with drugs. Don't forget he is an agent working here, he knows what he signed up to, he knows the dangers. We could all be eradicated at any time, I came close a few times myself when I was in the field. Don't worry Mr Myers hell is full up. No room for precious gem enthusiasts like us."

The three smiled at that. Thorn gave a little chuckle.

"Now let us have a drink and lament the loss of our latest conquest."

He went to a cabinet and took out three Waterford crystal glasses. He filled each with a shot of fine Irish whisky."

~o~

Lee's head slumped forward as heavy lids began to close. He desperately needed sleep but there was no sign of that in his future. He was sitting upright on a hard chair with his hands cuffed behind his back. The room was bare save for a table and two more chairs for his interrogators. The guard standing over him shook him awake once more. He came awake with a start and tried to focus his vision.

"Concentrate Mr. Stetson. Tell us what we want to know and then you can sleep."

"I told you, I will only speak with Billy Melrose." He muttered.

"And I told you whatever you have to tell him you can tell to me." Myers said smoothly as he sat back in his chair.

"Now once again Mr. Stetson, who are your contacts and where did you go this morning?"

Lee shook his head.

"It's nothing to us Mr. Stetson, we can take shifts. We can keep you here in this room without food, without facilities. We could keep you here for as long as it takes."

"Knock yourself out."

It was just past 4 in the morning. A damp chill hung in the air. Myers shivered as he reached for his jacket.

The other agent signalled to him and they stepped out into the hall together.

"Why don't we just let him talk to Melrose," the other interrogating agent shrugged. "What can it hurt?"

"He's gone home by now." Myers reasoned.

The agent shook his head. "He's not, he's in his office. He wants to talk to Lee, er Mr. Stetson."

Myers thought quickly.

"I'm not happy with the idea of giving in to his terms. He broke protocol and now he's trying to call the shots. He's probably trying to stall it out until he comes up with an alibi for himself."

The other agent frowned.

"I don't think that's it. I'd be very surprised if he was into anything underhanded. He's been with the firm for years."

Myers gave him a wry smile. The younger agent was an innocent guy in his late twenties. He had just joined the organisation last year. Myers guessed correctly that he was easy to manipulate.

"I could tell you stories you wouldn't believe Martin. Trust me, this agent Stetson could run rings around both of us. For the good of the firm we must get to the bottom of whatever underground organisation he's gotten himself involved with."

"Should we not at least turn him over to the guys in medical though? They were expecting him. They called three times to know the delay."

Myers nodded. "Yes that is important, he obviously has injuries, but I just want to be sure the organisation is in no immediate danger before I hand him over. I was ordered to oversee this whole process so It's on my head if anything goes wrong."

Myers more likely wanted to make sure Lee wouldn't talk. He needed to buy himself some time before he came up with a plan to eradicate the agent. Obviously the man wanted to tell all to his immediate supervisor. Myers needed to keep them apart. Melrose must not be allowed access.

The younger man smiled. "I wouldn't like to be in your shoes,"

"I know right," Myers smiled back.

The younger agent went on.

"Agent Stetson is popular around here. He's well respected. It is gong to be a hard sell to anyone that he did anything underhanded. He helped train half the workforce here and seemed to have a set of values. Personally I would have thought he had an impeccable code of ethics. Well I suppose we know different now but personally I wouldn't have thought it possible."

"Yes," Myers nodded, "Why don't you go get some coffee Martin. I'll continue on here."

Martins talk was not what Myers wanted to hear just now. He dismissed the younger man and went back into the interrogation room. The guard had also stepped out and he found himself alone with Stetson.

As exhausted as he was Stetson stared out through blood shot eye looking directly at him.

Myers sat down.

"It's very sad to see an agent turned." He began. "What's the matter, they weren't paying you enough here?"

Lee didn't answer.

His constant stare was unnerving.

"What are you looking at?' Myers finally asked.

"I've been in this business a long time Myers."

The colour drained from Myers face. He felt suddenly that he was the one being questioned.

"What do you mean by that?"

Lee said no more. He finally averted his gaze from Myers and left the man to draw his own conclusions.

Myers was hanging on his every word but Lee spoke no more. Myers was about to say something when Martin walked in holding two coffee's. He placed them gently on the table and taking a carton of juice from his top pocket he stabbed it with a tiny straw and put it up to Lee's mouth.

Lee took a long drink.

"Thanks," Lee looked up at him with no sign of the distain he seemed to feel for Myers.

Myers frowned. "That's enough Martin. Sit back down so we can get on with this."

Martin put the juice down in front of him and took his seat.

~o~

Billy rounded on the guard.

"Look, I've been here since early this morning, I have neither the time nor the patients to argue with you. Stetson is in my department and I will go over your head if I have to. I need to speak with him."

The guard was politely dismissed as another man came to talk to Billy.

Keenan Hope smiled reassuringly.

"We are doing all we can to bring this matter to a conclusion. We understand your position Mr. Melrose but we must follow procedure on this one you understand."

"No I do not understand, he's been here seven hours already, as head of his department I have a right to speak with him."

"No I'm afraid you do not Mr. Melrose. This is a security matter now. For all we know everyone in your department could be involved. Security are being very careful about who they allow access to Mr. Stetson. Trust me sir, you do best to gain some distance from this. You could find your whole department being investigated. "

The man, having said his piece simply moved off heading into an office and closing the door after him.

Melrose was left standing alone. He was at a loss as to what to do. This lack of support within the firm was new to him.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Myers knew just what to give him. He had spent all night thinking it through in his head. They had apprehended a super drug just last month. It's origins were based in Columbia. A slow working poison that attacks the nervous system. Tiny amounts in his food and he'd be quietly dispatched within the week.

Myers was confident. Even if the poison was detected people knew that Lee Stetson had been dealing with some shady characters in the past week. Live by the sword, die by the sword isn't that what they say.

It was even easier than he imagined. The people on the top floor paid little attention as he used his swipe card to access the labs. Of course Myers was an employee why should they be suspicious. There was a moment of panic as he adorned a white suit and took access of the top secret toxins. As he tried to lift the desired phial an alarm went off. He froze holding the phial as a lab technician came running in. But instead of the reaction he expected the technician smiled with relief and flicked a switch in the wall.

"You need to get clearance to access these toxins, that one you're holding is alright but some can be really corrosive. Attack you through your skin."

"Thanks, I should have asked." He smiled.

"No sweat. Remember where you got that, it needs to be returned to the right compartment. You can sign it out at the desk outside."

Myers had no intention of signing it out. As incompetent as this lab technician was he felt fairly confident that he would forget all about the encounter.

He took the phial in his pocket and headed off back to his department. On his way down he went back into the security office and turned back on the relevant CCTV monitors. He smiled again at the lax security in this building.

~o~

Three members of the security team were heading swiftly towards Lee Stetsons room. The agent had learnt from an obliging member of the catering staff that Amanda King had not shown up for work in the last two days and he was becoming agitated.

"Look I just need to speak with Billy Melrose. A member of the field agent team could be in serious danger."

"Calm down Sir," the guard towered over him but Lee was not to be put off.

"I'll not calm down. Amanda, Mrs King is in serious trouble. The gang I'm suspected to be involved with are targeting her and her family don't you understand. I have to find them."

"I won't tell you again sir, calm down."

He took hold of Lee to force him down onto the narrow bed but Lee struggled out of his grasp. The man lost his footing and went to the floor. In a moment of madness Lee saw his escape and made a run for the door. He got as far as the end of the corridor and slammed into the three security guards coming towards his room. He tried to get past them but with two broken ribs he was no match.

They easily got him under control and he was marched back to his cell. They dumped him down on the narrow bed and held him there.

One took hold of his shirt speaking very calmly and clearly. "we don't want to hurt you but If you don't calm down we will have to restrain you Mr Stetson."

"Five minutes with my supervisor that's all I ask. Please it's a matter of life and death."

They looked to each other. The man holding Lee's shirt thought for a minute.

"What can it hurt."

"No!"

They all turned to see Myers standing at the door hands in pockets.

"He is a compromised agent at the centre of an on going investigation. He is not to be allowed access to resources or members of staff.

They nodded compliance immediately.

Lee looked into the crooked face of Myers and he lost what little composure he had.

That guy was somehow involved. Lee knew it the minute he saw his face in the interrogation room.

"You son of a bitch," he growled

"Send for the Doctor." Myers told them.

Lee struggled but this time they were heavy handed pinning his limbs to the bed and placing an elbow down onto his chest.

A doctor appeared presently and kneeling by the bed he brought a syringe from his bag.

As he struggled the sleeve of Lee's shirt was reifed up past his elbow.

"I can't administer the dose unless you secure him properly." The doctor told them.

Lee felt his right arm clamped in place by two of the security detail. He watched as the doctor rubbed the site with an alcohol swab and brought the syringe to his skin.

"I won't make trouble. I promise. Please don't put me out. Amanda is in danger. Another agent is in danger. I have to speak to someone."

He bit his lip and winced as the heavy dose was pushed into his vein. Almost immediately his struggling dissipated and they put him lying back against the pillow.

Once the crisis was averted Myers had something to say to his security team.

"That was not good enough, you allowed him to escape as far as the corridor outside. You allowed him to manipulate you. I expect better from security working here. I'll be writing a full report."

"Yes sir," they all chimed, looking somewhat flushed of face.

"I want this man watched around the clock. We don't know who he has been dealing with in the past week but we do know he poses a huge threat to the security of this cooperation."

With that Myers left the room, talking with the doctor.

The security team released their captive. He turned towards the wall as overwhelming tiredness took over his senses and he began to lose consciousness. One of the guards fixed the pillow under his head and pulled a blanket up over him.

~o~

Dotty was not impressed. Had she lost her mind?

First Amanda had taken the children out of school for an impromptu trip to the lake. She had stocked it with enough food to feed an army and now she was insistent that she had to go home leaving Dotty and the children there alone.

"Amanda this is crazy, you have to know this is crazy behavior."

"Mother, believe me I do know but I have no choice. Please just trust me."

"You drive like a lunatic to get here, breaking speed limits and now you want to go back home again."

"I have to go back home mother, I have to, please don't ask."

"It's this job isn't it. This strange job that has you scampering off at odd hours."

Amanda didn't answer.

Dotty eventually shrugged defeat.

"Go on then. I'll tell the boys when they get back from their fishing."

Amanda nodded her thanks and grabbed her car keys. She couldn't talk anymore couldn't trust her own voice.

She got into the car and drove down the gravel road wiping at stray tears. They would be alright, she told herself. She had been so careful that she wasn't followed. She had stayed two days to make certain the cabin wasn't being watched. Her mother and the boys would be safe. Now she had to help someone else who was dear to her heart. She could feel instinctively that he was in serious trouble.

~o~

Myers headed into the large kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee.

He called over to the chef.

"You don't mind if I have one of these doughnuts do you, I'll have to miss lunch today on account of a meeting."

The chef simply shrugged.

"Knock yourself out," he said as he basted a large roast lamb with gravy.

Myers took the doughnut in his mouth. Just beside the tray of doughnuts he noted the tray set for dinner. On it already was a glass of milk. Someone was even kind enough to put Lee Stetsons name on a little card so there would be no confusion.

Throwing an eye on the chef who was busy in his work Myers took the phial from his pocket and dropped one tiny drop of the clear liquid into the glass of milk. Lee Stetsons journey into the next world had begun.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Lee was making progress. That young girl from the catering department, the one who brought him his breakfast every morning she liked him. She could get messages to Billy and get information back to him. He was confident that he could encourage her to act as a go between until he could get out of here. There wasn't time to worry about the moral aspects of that he was an agent. It wouldn't be the first time he had used his looks to get what he needed. There was nothing to say that Rodriguez wouldn't carry out his threats now that he had gone to ground. Also, what was Myers involvement in all this. Lee had been around enough guilty men to see right through him. Myers was guilty as hell but where did he fit in to this. Lee sat up in bed. He could just see the guard standing with his back to the door through the small grille. There were no windows to this small cell. Just a bed, a desk and chair and a small cabinet for the clothes they gave him to wear.

He needed to go to the bathroom. He threw his legs over the side of the bed and stood up. In a second he grabbed at the small desk as the world seemed to go south. He held on to the desk willing the world to stop spinning.

The door opened and the guard stepped in.

"Are you ok?" He asked cautiously.

Lee nodded even as perspiration began to break out in beads on his face and neck.

"I need to go,"

The guard nodded tiredly.

"Hold out your hands," he mumbled taking

a set of cuffs from his back pocket and fixing them to Lee's wrists.

"Come on then," he muttered, taking hold of his arm and bringing him out onto the corridor.

Lee staggered along.

"No tricks now. I'm not in humor for that tonight." The guard growled at him.

Lee ignored him and just concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. The guard stood just outside the door. When Lee was done he went to turn and the world lurched sideways once again. He grabbed hold of the sink to steady himself. He looked up into the mirror. Was he coming down with something, his face had lost all its color.

"Come on in there. We ain't got all night." The guard snapped.

Lee turned from the sink and headed for the door. He was about to exit when he turned quickly and about fell in the direction of the toilet. The guard burst in and looked on just as Lee vomited his guts up.

"This better not be a trick," the guard took a flannel cloth from the sink and dousing it in water he handed it to Lee.

Lee nodded his thanks and cleaned his face with it.

"Can you get up?"

Lee nodded and the guard helped him to his feet. The guard threw his gun over his shoulder and helped Lee back to his room.

"I'll bring in a basin incase you need to throw up again. It was probably just something you ate though. Sometimes if you throw up you feel better then."

But by the end of his shift the guard was worried. He no longer believed that the agent was pulling some kind of stunt. Perspiration was visible on his face. He had a fever, what's more he threw up twice more in the five hours that followed.

"We need to get a doctor for him," he told his colleague at change of shift.

"I'll let them know in the front office before I head off."

~o~

Myers stood nervously at the door as the doctor examined Lee.

"Can we hurry this up please. He is not supposed to have visitors. He's in solitary confinement until he tells..."

The Doctor interrupted him.

"I am not a visitor, I'm a doctor and can you please close over that door with you on the other side of it. Thank you very much."

Myers set his jaw in annoyance but carried out the mans wishes not wishing to draw attention to his behavior. He knew he would need to think fast. This was happening too rapidly for his liking.

By mid afternoon Lee's condition had deteriorated. He was spiking a temperature and was floating in and out of consciousness. Myers managed to get that doctor replaced with an old incompetent friend of his fathers. But management were screaming for answers and worse still Stetson was too ill to eat. He hadn't thought of that. He had to keep administering the dose. He had planned to keep adding droplets to his food but if he couldn't eat he'd have to find another way.

The Doctor emerged looking as baffled as ever.

"Doc, hows his stomach flu?" Myers asked.

"It's going around isn't it. I had it myself a couple of weeks back, took me ages to shake it."

"Oh yes, he has a bad dose. I have put in a line in his arm so he is on IV fluids now. He should rally in the next couple of days I should think."

Lee didn't rally, his condition got steadily worse. No one noticed the tiny strip of clear tape on each empty bag of IV fluids. No one questioned when Myers went into the room. And they certainly didn't see when he took a syringe and pierced the bag with it pushing the poison in to mingle with the fluids.

On one such occasion he nodded to himself in satisfaction noting how the strip of tape was nearly non detectable.

He froze as his eyes locked with Lee's. In one moment of clarity the agent was looking straight at him.

"Why,"

"I don't have to answer to you," Myers whispered back.

"You'll have to answer to someone. You'll get caught." Lee told him.

"You'll get caught and you'll get the chair. Or worse still you'll be put in prison for life. You're a good looking guy, that won't be pleasant for you."

Myers lost it. He set upon Lee grabbing hold of his hair and putting the syringe to his neck.

"You shut the fuck up Stetson or so help me I'll end it now."

He stood up away from the agent. Shocked at his own outburst he ran a shaky hand over his face.

You fucking bastard Stetson. Why can't you just die quickly."

Tears stung Myers eyes as the realization of his situation weighed in on him. For years he and his associates had used their position at this firm to acquire all kinds of treasures. Usually they would simply take them from the criminals they brought before the courts never declaring them. But this diamond was a bigger prize. Marcus Thorn had convinced them that it needed an elaborate plan. The old man had convinced them all that this Lee Stetson agent was sweet on the new recruit Amanda King and he could be manipulated into doing their bidding. It had all gone horribly wrong and now Myers was charged with the task of killing Stetson.

He stood over him now breathing hard and trembling all over. Lee looked back at him knowing that he had gone too far, knowing that the man was contemplating putting a pillow over his face. Lee was too weak to fight off any attack.

They both jumped slightly as the door to the cell suddenly opened. The guard stood looking at each of them in turn.

"What's going on in here?" He asked.

Myers arrogant front was back in place.

"How dare you ask such a question. Know your rank officer."

"I am sorry sir," the large black officer said with little feeling.

He headed back out closing the door after him.

Myers continued to stare down at Lee, his jaw working under his tanned skin. Eventually he moved towards the door.

"Sleep well Mr. Stetson." He said smoothly as he left the room.

Lee let out a faltering breath. As he stared up at the ceiling, tears of helplessness began to gather in the backs of his eyes. He set his face and reaching over he yanked out the IV line. Blood began to ooze out and pool on the white sheet below his right arm.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Billy was losing patience. An agent in his department had been confined on the top floor for the last five days. He had not been allowed any contact with Lee. Now it appears that the agent is sick and still he is kept in the dark. In any other circumstance he would allow due process but something about all this didn't feel right to him. He wasn't used to top brass shutting him out. Whatever the circumstance they usually kept him in the loop,

Again that morning he had gone up personally to ask about Lee. By all accounts the agent was not doing good. Billy met briefly with James Myers who told him that Lee was unconscious and was put on IV fluids but he did not elaborate and the meeting did nothing to ease Billy's growing concern.

He looked up from his desk as someone entered his office. He let out a breath of relief as Amanda stood there looking somewhat wind blown and flustered.

"Finally, where the hell have you been? You know the rule Amanda, agents are supposed to keep in constant contact with the office every three hours. We haven't heard from you in days."

Gone was her usual apologetic demeanor.

"Never mind that, where's Lee?. I can't seem to get a straight answer from anyone."

Billy let out a breath and rubbed at his forehead.

"Shut the door Amanda, sit down."

Amanda did as he asked looking back at him with wide eyes.

"Lee has been transferred to the medical wing this morning." He told her.

"The med...medical wing. What happened? Is he okay?"

"No Amanda, I don't think he is okay."

"You don't think...Billy don't you know. Haven't you spoken to his doctor. What's wrong with him Billy?.

Amanda tried to set her face even as she swiped at a stray tear.

"They won't let me near him Amanda. They say this whole department is under investigation. I don't know what's going on."

With a growing determination Amanda wiped her eyes and got up to leave the office.

"Amanda, there's nothing you can do. They won't let you see him."

"I'm his partner, I didn't spend all that time watching out for him in the field only to have him die in our own department building. Billy I have a very bad feeling about all this and I'm not going to stop until I get some answers."

Billy got up and grabbed his jacket. "I'm coming with you."

~o~

Amanda went straight to the top floor and walked determinedly towards the medical wing. She pushed through the double doors ignoring the two armed guards standing both sides of them.

"Ma'am, er ma'am." They called after her as they followed.

She did not falter in her step but with one hand she flashed her ID badge at them.

She stopped at the front desk just to ask the startled nurse which room Lee Stetson was in.

The nurse in one flustered moment pointed to room two. Before Amanda could enter the room, the young guard went to stand in her way.

"Ma'am, you can't go in there."

Amanda stared him down.

"Excuse me young sir but how dare you. That is my partner in there and he is very ill. I was working in this facility when you were having your Bar Mitzvah so don't tell me where I can and cannot go. You see this badge,"

Amanda held up her ID badge.

"That says clearly that we are all working on the same side so go over there and stand at that door and guard it. And do not let unauthorized people through here, do you understand?"

Billy had never heard this tone from Amanda before. He was heartily glad she was on his side.

The young man, flushed of face stood aside and went off to do as she ordered. Being Amanda on any other day she would have been sorry. Every young man on some level reminded her of her boys at home but this was not the time for such sentiment.

She rushed into the room anxious to comfort her partner but she froze.

He was lying in a metallic hospital bed covered with a white sheet. His bare chest was adorned with so many wires. A mask was fitted over his face. There was machines bleeping out information all around him.

Amanda put a hand to her face. Billy stood by her, his hands went to her shoulders.

"Jesus Billy." She whispered, trying to hold back her tears.

"I'm gonna speak to a doctor, get some answers." Billy spoke angrily.

Amanda walked over and sat down on the metal chair by his bed. She reached out and took his hand. As if he could sense her his eyes began to flicker.

"Lee?" She called out brokenly.

His eyes opened to mere slits.

"Lee I'm here,"

Heavy lids closed again and he let out a long breath. Amanda looked up as a bell went off on one of the machines.

Seconds later a nurse came in and adjusted a setting on the machine just over Amanda's head.

"Has he been unconscious like this for long?" Amanda asked.

"You'll have to speak to the doctor," she smiled.

"But I'm asking you. You've been in and out of this room. Has his eyes been open or closed."

The nurse lost her smile realizing that Amanda was not going to be put off.

"He's been in and out of consciousness since he came here this morning. If he doesn't improve he is to be sent to a secure medical unit in Boston. But they're hoping that won't be necessary."

The nurse abruptly left before Amanda had any other questions. Amanda stood and taking his hand she looked into his face. His cheeks were sunken in and dark rings shadowed his eyes. For a young man usually looking so vibrant and healthy the contrast was truly shocking. He was very sick. Amanda squeezed his hand hoping to lend some support, some strength, but her chin began to tremble as tears clouded her vision.

"What have you gotten yourself into now," she tried to smile through her tears.

"You'll be ok you know. You're tough. You're the strongest...person I know."

She wiped at her face trying desperately to pull herself together.

"Lee...I don't know how to...make this right." She swallowed hard as she spoke.

"What do I do Lee, how do I fix this. Lee you know you...you're my...best friend...in all the world. I don't know...what to do..."

She turned her back and swiped quickly at her tears as Billy and another man entered the room.

The man extended his hand to Amanda.

"James Myers," he smiled.

"As you can see Mr Stetson is in poor condition. We thought it best to restrict visitors. We had no way of knowing if his condition was somehow contagious..."

Amanda wasn't listening. Her eyes were fixed on the heart monitor attached to Lee. It was clear from the monitor that his heart beat had quickened suddenly. A bell went off on another monitor as Myers continued talking. She looked over at Lee. His face looked suddenly agitated, his eyes began to twitch.

Billy interrupted her thoughts.

"Amanda the nurses want to turn him and make him more comfortable. They said we could come back later when he's repositioned."

Amanda nodded. She took one last look but the nurse were pulling a curtain around his bed to obscure it from the observing windows and give him some privacy as they worked.

~o~

Myers paced the office rambling as much to himself as to his boss.

"They gained access, they gained access to his room. He's unconscious but..."

He shook his head.

"But even still, it's not part of the plan. I've given him so much already. He should be dead by now."

'Will you please lower your voice,"

Marcus Thorn told him in measured tones.

"We have more to worry us than that."

Myers looked up at him now, naked fear bleaching his face.

"What," he choked out.

"Our associate Keenan Hope was found dead in a dumpster yesterday. I sent him to meet with Rodriguez and give him what we owe him. It is clear Rodriguez did not like my offer of half pay."

The color drained from Myers face. He sat down heavily on one of the leather chairs and put a hand to his face.

"But...but the job was called off. We didn't need his services anymore. So...so therefore he gets half."

"It is clear that Rodriguez does not see it that way. He considers that we have wasted his time."

"He has killed Keenan now." Myers nodded.

"He may not want to stop there. He may want to kill you, me and everyone else involved."

"Oh Jesus," Myers breathed. putting a hand to his face.

"What...what do we do?"

"We need to leave as soon as possible. As quietly as possible. I will leave tonight, you can leave as soon as Stetson passes away. Head to a remote island in the Caribbean or some small country like Ireland. Take only what you need."

~o~

Myers didn't need to be told twice. As soon as he left Thorns office he began planning his departure. But there was no way he was going to wait until Stetson passes. Why should he risk himself when Thorn was flying out himself that night. He would need to get his passport and the stash of money he had acquired from their years of collecting precious gems. They had quite a few stored in a vault at the bank but others were sold on to collectors amassing them a nice fortune. He'd collect the money and call his girlfriend, tell her it's over. Then he'd take the first available flight. That makes sense, that makes perfect sense. He couldn't stop from shaking. Keenan was found dead, Jesus.

He took the stairs. He was up 10 floors but he didn't want to talk with anyone in the lift. He couldn't stop shaking. People would see. He was about to exit through the door to the car park when it was opened. He stood back a little and someone came through.

Amanda was anxious to get back upstairs but she froze in place as she noted his pale, drawn face. He was sweating.

"What's wrong," she asked pointedly. "Is there something wrong with Lee?"

"No, no he's fine," Myers tried to smile.

"Well he's not fine. What is wrong with you, you look like you've seen a ghost." She asked.

"Just, just get out of my way,"

Amanda froze as he pulled a gun on her. She slowly raised her hands.

"It was you all along wasn't it. You're the reason Lee is so ill,"

"Shut up, shut the hell up. I'm not a murderer. I've never hurt anyone in my life. I'm a collector of precious metals. It was Thorn. Marcus Thorn, he's the real villain in all this. It was his idea to forceably recruit Stetson. I had nothing to do with it."

"Oh I see, You're just an innocent caught up in this big bad world. That won't wash and you know it. You will be going away for a very long time if you don't start turning this around."

Myers backed up and sat on the last step of the stairs. He put his head in his hands and began sobbing. Amanda could have run at this stage but she wanted to hear it all.

"It was Marcus Thorn's idea then?" She asked.

"Yeah," Myers took a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his face.

"He hired Rodriguez and his gang to control Lee Stetson, he knew Stetson was capable of obtaining the diamond. He'd heard of his other missions. Stetson has never come back with a failed mission. He has always brought the goods, that's why Thorn singled him out."

"And so they tortured Lee to get him to cooperate." Amanda asked.

"Yeah," Myers nodded.

Amanda gave him a shrewd look.

"There's more, what are you not telling me?"

Myers decided to go for broke.

"They knew he was fond of you. They threatened him with talk of harm to your children."

Amandas heart went cold.

Myers went on. "I need protection. Even if I was to leave they would follow me. They've killed once. Do you think if I was to tell this upstairs they would provide protection until my trial?"

Amanda opened her mouth to speak.

The gun shot made her jump. She fell back against the wall and slid to the ground. Blood began to pool on the concrete floor all around her.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

 **Sorry guys, life is busy at the moment. I will try and keep my updates as regular as I possibly can. Thanks for all your kind comments. Your input is very much appreciated.**

Amanda scrambled to her feet. She went to the staircase and looked up just in time to see the gunman exit through a door.

James Myers lay on the ground shaking with pain and shock. He mumbled incoherently sometimes praying sometimes whimpering in the final moments of his life. She sat with him, holding his hand as he grew still and the light went out in his eyes. She gently laid him down on his side and sat herself down on the concrete stairwell trying to pull herself together.

~o~

Billy turned in surprise as Amanda burst through the door.

"Amanda, he's awake," he told her.

"We have to get him out of here Billy," she shot back as she rounded to the other side of the bed.

"What are you talking about Amanda. That's impossible. He's too sick to be moved."

Lee turned eyes towards her and she took his hand.

"Billy if he stays here, he'll most likely be dead. James Myers has been killed. He was in on the plot to dispatch Lee. It's all very complicated and its a story for another time but we have to move."

Amanda looked down at Lee.

"Can you help us Lee. We need to get you out of here."

Lee looked in her direction but didn't seem to know where he was. Amanda reached over and brushed back strands of hair from his eyes.

"Amanda this is crazy. We are in our own headquarters. There's no need to bail out, I'll get security to..."

"Who do we trust Billy, who do we trust." Amanda spoke frantically

"Would you have believed someone as high up as James Myers would be into anything so crooked. There is a gunman in this building, possibly one of Rodriguez's men. We don't even know if it's a lone gunman. Now please Billy, get some clothes, it's cold outside. We need to get him out of here."

As Amanda spoke she began removing the many wires hooked up to her friend. The heart monitor wires were only attached with stickers plastered to his chest, the stats probe was taped to his index finger. All were easy to remove. The only problem was the catheter. She wasn't pulling that out, it would hurt and it had a very important function. Amanda did voluntary work in a hospital when she was younger so she had some basic knowledge. Quickly she took a basin from the bathroom and emptied the urine from the catheter bag into it. She would hide the catheter down his trouser leg.

Billy came back with grey sweat pants a tee shirt and a dark blue hooded top.

"It's all I could find in the locker room." He told her.

"It's perfect," she muttered as she took the pants from him.

Quickly they got him dressed.

"We need a wheelchair." She left the room briefly and came back with a stretcher on wheels instead.

"Even better," Billy nodded as he put his hands in under Lee's shoulders.

As they lifted him gently on to the stretcher he gave out a slight moan in protest.

They hadn't time to be more gentle, their actions were beginning to cause chaos outside the room.

Seconds later two security guards entered brandishing weapons. Other more senior members of the security detail soon followed.

"Stop what you're doing and put your hands on your head."

Billy was about to comply, slowly raising his hands but Amanda instead turned a gun on them.

"Where'd you get that?" Billy asked.

"It was belonging to Myers."

Billy nodded approvingly, "Scarecrow thought you well."

Amanda turned a disapproving face at that but there wasn't time to get into it.

"Mrs King, put down the weapon. Don't be foolish. You won't get far with an injured man."

As outnumbered as they were even Billy was beginning to wane, he turned to Amanda.

"I think we'd better do as they say."

She turned dark eyes on him but then addressed the many men who stood in her path.

"If this agent gets killed it will be on your heads, it will be on your heads and your permanent record because we tried to remove him to a place of safety and you wouldn't allow it. There is a gunman in this building..."

Suddenly all ducked as shots rang out. Somewhere close a window shattered. In the split second that followed Amanda rammed the stretcher through the door and out onto the corridor. Billy took the gun from her and pointed it at anyone who tried to intervene. They somehow got to an elevator and brought it down as far as the floor just above the car park.

Billy cursed under his breath. "It won't go all the way. Security must have broken the circuit. Damn!"

They came out of the lift and brought the stretcher down a narrow corridor. It ended at a set of double doors.

Amanda pushed against them. They didn't move.

"Amanda, you need a swipe card to open them."

She turned to him.

'I left it on my desk." He told her apologetically.

Amanda was ready with a remark but Billy looked so angry at himself she just shook her head.

"Is there any other way to get to the parking lot?" She asked.

"We need to go back the way we came, up a flight of stairs and down another elevator. There's no guarantee that won't be blocked by security either."

They both jumped slightly as shots rang out on the floor just above them.

"Amanda I don't even think we can go that way now," Billy said, a slight edge of fear to his voice. "They're on the floor just above us."

Without warning the double doors in front of them suddenly shot open. They both stood back, Amanda putting a protective arm around Lee.

Francine stood there holding up her swipe card.

"I've been watching your progress on the security monitors." She told them.

"Well don't just stand there, I presume you're headed for the car park."

They filed past her, still pulling the stretcher between them.

"Francine, come with us." Amanda urged quickly.

"I'd like to but someone is discharging firearms up there. I'm taking an early lunch. There's no way I'm going to leave them to shoot up my new car. I always said the security in this establishment has been left in the hands of imbeciles."

They finally made it as far as the car park but their confidence was proving fatal. As soon as ever they made a dash for Billy's car shots rang out from a black land rover parked nearby. They both immediately ducked down behind a parked car. Billy reached up and pulled Lee down from the stretcher. He landed in a crumpled heap, Amanda did her best to protect his head as they huddled low.

"Jesus Billy," Amanda yelled as metal splintered to bits just beside her head.

"We're not getting out of here are we?"

"Keep the faith little lady,"

Just as he spoke Billy spied a large tank under the stretcher. Despite Amanda trying to hold him back he crawled over. He took the large oxygen tank and brought it to the top of the stretcher covering it with a blanket. Amanda watched in horror as he began wheeling it out into the open.

Suddenly she herself stood up and began shooting with Myers gun. That was the cover he needed he pushed the stretcher over towards the land rover.

Billy and Amanda ducked back behind the car with Lee. One of the crooks was smart enough to know but his yells of don't shoot, don't shoot were drowned out as his accomplishes fired on the stretcher. The explosion was quite massive. Billy shielded Amanda and Lee as dust and debris showered them.

The explosion caused enough of a diversion. Billy and Amanda literally dragged Lee between them and hauled him into the back of Billy's car. Billy took off at speed as members of the gang were rolling on the floor recovering from effects of the blast.

Rodriguez stood out on the pathway cursing loudly as he watched the car drive out of sight. He signaled angrily and another Land Rover skidded to a stop. He got in and it sped off in pursuit.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12.

 **I'm going to finish this story with a double post of chapters 12 and 13.**

 **I want to say a big thank you to everyone who read and commented on my story. Your support was very much appreciated and it made writing loads of fun for me.**

Billy hardly knew where he was going he just put his foot to the gas and drove. He knew he had to get them as far away from there as possible. Amanda leaned over and kept a steadying hand on Lee's shoulder as the car sped on, running stop signs and speeding through intersections.

"Billy, where are we going?" She asked eventually.

"I don't know yet but we have a tail we need to lose."

Amanda looked out her side mirror.

"You see that black land rover four cars back?"

Amanda could see it. It drove with a determination the rest of the late evening traffic didn't have. It stayed steadily four cars behind them but it was always there at every turn.

"There's a cabin up in the Pine Forest, it's owned by the cooperation."

"A safe house."

Billy nodded. "We'll hide out there and get medical help to Lee."

Amanda looked back at him. He was very pale and still, but she could just make out his chest rising and falling with every breath. She reached back and clutched at his shoulder as Billy took a sharp left and turned down into a narrow alley.

"Let's see them copy that move in their big ass Land Rover." He muttered as he pulled out into an adjoining street.

Sure enough the Land Rover screeched to a halt. It turned to follow them down the lane but it's progress was hampered by a stack of beer kegs piled up on one side. They tried to simply mow through them but a keg got caught under the wheel and they physically had to get out to pull it loose.

~o~

By night fall they were driving through a thick deserted forest. It was very dark with only the weak beams from the car headlamps to guide their way. The ancient trees leered at them as they passed under, their knurled branches resembling sinister specters as the light passed over them.

Amanda turned to Billy.

"Billy his hair is wet. He's starting to run a fever again. What should we do. Perhaps we should bring him to a medical facility."

Billy shook his head. "No Amanda. They want him dead. That's the first place they will look. Once we have him settled I'll go for help. It'll be alright, trust me."

He took his hand from the wheel and placed it over hers.

Amanda nodded trying to calm herself as they drove ever deeper into the forest.

Finally they came to a stop outside a large cabin. Amanda didn't hardly look at it, she immediately jumped out and went to the back to help Lee.

Billy brought a flash light from the glove compartment.

"Wait here," he told her as he shone the torch on the ground and followed the beam as far as a small trickling steam. In the light Amanda could see him bending low to retrieve something from the water. It looked to be a box of some sort. Soon after he came back and went up to open the door.

"We can't use a fireman's lift, his breathing is bad enough. Can you get his legs Amanda?"

She nodded and prepared to take the weight as Billy put his arms in under Lee's arms and gently pulled him out of the back of the car.

Together they carried him into the house and gently laid him down on a sofa. Up to now they had been working by torch light but Billy soon found a light switch. Amanda briefly looked around at the comfortable modern dwelling.

"Does it have water?" she asked.

'No, but I can get some from the steam outside."

Amanda went to an adjoining room and came back with a pillow and a rug. She gently placed the pillow under Lee's head. She reached over and brushed a strand of damp hair back from his cheek.

"Now you're going to have to do your bit too Agent Stetson." She told him.

"You're going to have to...hold on. You hear me?"

Lee responded in wheezing labored breaths. She could see the effort it took in his chest rising and falling. Amanda wondered if she would ever hear his voice again. She swallowed down that thought as tears began to sting in her eyes.

She brought the rug up over him gently tucking it in around his shoulder.

"No Amanda, get that off him. He's too hot." Billy told her.

He had returned with a bucket of water from the steam. He laid it down on a small side table and went to help her.

Amanda shook her head as she worked. "I don't know what I was thinking. Sorry Billy. I care for my kids all the time."

"Never in these circumstances." Billy said putting a hand to her shoulder.

He threw back the rug and lifted Lee to remove his sweatshirt. With that done he laid him back down. Now wearing only his tee shirt and sweatpants Billy could still feel the heat radiating from him . Sweat glistened on his face and neck. Billy went to the bathroom and returned with a cloth. He dipped it in the bucket wrung it out and handed it to Amanda.

"You run that over his face, I'll fix us something to eat."

"I'm not hungry."

"Starving yourself isn't going to help Lee Amanda, you need to keep up your strength. That's an order."

~o~

They took turns through the night sitting up with him, giving tiny sips of water when he was near conscious. By morning there was little change in his condition. His skin was pasty white and glazed in a sheen of his own perspiration. He mumbled incoherently at times lost in a storm of fever induced dreams. Amanda washed his face and replaced the damp cloth at his neck

Billy made coffee and toast for them and then prepared to leave.

Despite herself Amanda was anxious. She didn't want to be left alone in this cabin in the middle of nowhere but she knew they had little choice. If they didn't get help soon Lee's chances were not good.

"I'll be back as soon as I can. According to the manual inside there is a doctor in the next town. I noted most of the antibiotics Lee was on so it should be a simple matter of getting them together."

Neither of them were buying Billy's optimism. Would the doctor help, what could he even do. Lee needed to be cared for in a proper hospital facility.

"Be careful Billy," Amanda gave him a quick hug and tried to smile.

"I'll be back soon, I'll bring help. Try not to worry Amanda."

The car drove slowly down the gravel path and out into the road. Amanda stood at the door for a moment. She put her arms about herself and shivered. Though it was early afternoon the sky was growing dark and threatening rain. She felt so isolated out here. There wasn't another house for miles. With determination she swallowed down her fears and went back in the house. She took the bucket from beside the door and took it out to the creek to refill it. Just as she pulled it up out of the stream she could hear the car. She stood up feeling some relief at his return. But she knew too that he had probably forgotten something and would be heading back out again.

Her smile faded as through the branches she could make out the shine of a new car, a black land rover. The bucket splashed on the cobble stones as she took off running. The car skidded to a stop just as she made it through the front door. Amanda slammed into the door closing it shut. Her shaking thin fingers struggled with the locks. She managed to get the chain on and struggled with the iron bolt lock. Two of Rodriguez's men slammed into the door. The force broke the chain throwing the door wide and sending Amanda to the ground. She scrambled up on all fours and crawled to where Lee was lying on the couch just as the room filled with people.

~o~

Rodriguez sauntered in, hands in pockets. He gazed around him.

"Hay this is nice real nice. You and pretty boy here on a dirty weekend?"

A rough looking, dark skinned man stepped forward.

"Looks like she wore him out."

They all laughed. Amanda inched closer to Lee.

Rodriguez moved forward to take hold of Lee. Amanda stood up and blocked his path.

"Leave him, can't you see that he's sick. Please, I'll do anything you want...just please leave him alone."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13.

 **Double post: Please read chapter 12 first. Thanks**!

Rodriguez grinned as he moved in close to Amanda.

"You do anything I want momma? Now that's an offer I can't pass up. You is fine."

He was uncomfortably close and his hand went to her hip and moved up the side of her body. Amanda cringed.

Suddenly Rodriguez threw Amanda to the ground. His face became a torrent of anger as he noted Margot bent low gazing into Lee's face.

He moved forward and taking hold of her jacket he threw her aside. He took his gun and shot into the ground near her feet. Amanda jumped and scurried back into a corner.

"You fucking bitch. You still hot for him, this pretty boy?"

Rodriguez took the gun and suddenly aimed it directly at Lee's head.

"I kill him in front of you bitch."

Amanda moved. The gun went off just as she managed to deflect it from Lee's head. The bullet hit the far wall. Rodriguez lashed out knocking Amanda to the ground.

Rubbing at her cheek she got back up.

"You want money, I've got money in my purse,"

"We don't want your damn money bitch, we've come to kill pretty boy here. Just as soon as Reno comes with the van. Sit your ass down over there."

Reluctantly Amanda did as he asked, there was little choice. The room was filled with his men. They leered at her as if they hadn't seen a woman before.

They all settled in, lounging around and throwing themselves into whatever seats were available. Amanda stared in horror as two of his men pulled Lee from the couch and landed him face down on the floor.

She stood up and cleared her throat as all eyes went to her.

"It would probably be better if I perhaps took him into the next room." She squeaked.

"He's too sick to be a threat to you and you're going to kill him later anyway so where's the harm."

Rodriguez turned to her. "Bitch I ain't tellin you again, sit the fuck down."

Amanda went unsteadily to her seat and sat down, her eyes wide with fear.

Another of his men smiled over at her, "Don't worry, you won't be bored. We'll have need of your services later. We have a drug, make you happy; make you want to party."

Margot was crouched down close to Lee. She had turned him over on his back. Whatever she was doing, it wasn't medical help. Amanda's eyes narrowed. It was time to act. Slowly she stood up.

"I'm not taking no drug, I'm not going to party with you, as you put it."

She looked around making sure she had their full attention.

"I won't do for you and I won't cook for you, you can forget it,"

That said, she sat back down.

They thought on her words for just a minute. One or two of them threw an eye on the kitchen. It seemed to be well stocked.

Rodriguez got to his feet suddenly. Amanda cowered as he went to her. He pulled her from her chair and shoved her in the direction of the kitchen.

"Get in there and cook something bitch. We're starving."

"No, I told you, I'm not..."

Rodriguez took a step towards Lee, Margot cleared out of his way.

"Ok! Ok, don't hurt him please." Amanda raised her hands, large fat tears ran down her face.

"Ok, I'll cook for you, just please don't hurt him."

~o~

Even in these circumstances Amanda could put out a good meal. She took pride in her Sunday lunches and often spent the whole afternoon cooking a fine roast as her boys worked on their homework.

The cooperation kept the safe houses well stocked with food at all times so there was plenty to work with. Before long they were all sat at the table tucking into a succulent beef stew. They ate like pigs wiping the juice up with bread and noisily chewing meat off the bones.

Rodriguez grinned displaying bits of meat stuck in his teeth.

"You is a good cook momma. Pity we is gonna have to kill you. We can't leave no witnesses."

Amanda jumped as the door suddenly went and a large man walked in.

"Hay Reno, you bring the Van?" Rodriguez asked.

"Yeah, it's outside. I have it lined with a plastic sheet. I brought some rope and a weight too. We can dump him in a river not far from here."

Rodriguez frowned, "What took you so long man?"

The man who had just arrived looked to Amanda.

"It took me some while to find your place momma, this weren't the first safe house I tried. There's four others in this area. One of your associates was kind enough to give me a list. They want your boy dead as much as we do."

Amanda took all this in with a sick feeling in her stomach. There would have to be a serious shake up within the cooperation. They needed to weed out all the traitors.

"Here have some food man." Rodriguez said.

He turned to Amanda. "Get him a bowl."

Amanda left her place beside Lee and went to fetch him a bowl and a spoon. He took the bowl without looking at her and went to sit at the table reaching over and pulling off a hunk of bread.

Amanda brought out the bottle of whisky she'd fetched from the kitchen. She poured a measure into a small glass and put it to Lee's lips.

"Come on Lee, it's good for you. Just a little."

Rodriguez looked over. "What's that?" He growled.

"It's whisky. It'll revive him."

"Give it to me."

"No, it's for him. It'll help with...his circulation."

"Give that fuckin bottle over here bitch."

With a feigned sigh of resignation Amanda got up and handed the bottle to him.

"Is there more?" He growled.

Reno intervened. "Hay man, we need to get the job done. I have to get that van back to my brother by tonight."

Amanda meanwhile brought three more bottles and some glasses.

Rodriguez grinned showing his gold tooth.

"Relax man. We got one sick dude and a girl. We have time. If you're good I'm gonna let you have first crack at her. Break her in for the rest of us."

Amanda quickly took the pie out of the oven. She cut it into pieces and brought it to the table with plates for everyone.

"What's this?" Rodriguez asked.

"It's apple and cinnamon pie. I have cream if you want it."

"Oh I want your cream momma." Rodriguez grinned. He gave her backside a slap as she walked away to get the cream.

She took a good measure of cream and loaded it onto his plate.

"You're not winning him over with your cooking." Margot sneered at her.

"What's wrong baby, you getting jealous?" Rodriguez laughed loudly showing the whole contents of his mouth. Amanda turned away.

Amanda moved beside each one of them loading their plates with pie and cream. They laughed loudly with each other generally ignoring her and enjoying this feast washed down with fine whisky.

The party went on as afternoon turned to evening and the sky began to grow dark.

Suddenly one of the bigger thugs stopped his laughing and frowned. "I feel funny."

He looked to the others. "I...I can't feel my legs."

"You can't take your liquor man," another joked.

But Rodriguez put his fork down. He too felt strange. At first he thought it was the whisky. He looked up to see Amanda staring back at him.

"What you do bitch?"

Amanda stared down at him with cold eyes. She held up a tiny bottle for him to see.

With a look of horror Rodriguez got up from the table. He tried to get to her but he collapsed to the ground. The others also tried to get up but found they were incapable. They went for their side arms only to realize she had slipped their guns out while she was piling cream on their plates.

The poison was working fast on the gang given how much she had poured into the stew and the pie.

She hadn't time to waste. The poison she had taken from Myers had also left Lee seriously ill. Ignoring their grunts and moans she went to Rodriguez and rifling through his pockets she found his car keys.

"Yeah momma, you is one sweet cook. You is one sweet killin bitch." He slurred with half closed eyes.

"Yeah fuck off and give me the keys." Amanda said, her nerves just about gone.

She went to Lee and crouching low she took hold under his arms.

"I'm sorry," she cried as she slowly dragged him towards the door. She opened the door and began to drag him out towards the car.

It had grown dark and a steady flush of rain spilled from the sky. Determined Amanda dragged him down the few steps towards the car. Shaking with anxiety she opened the back door and took hold of him trying to pull him in. He was getting soaked, his breathing was labored and she couldn't get him into the car. Tears of frustration coursed down her cheeks and she swallowed back a lump in her throat as again she tried. She was hurting him, she could tell by the grimace on his thin pale features.

"I'm sorry," she cried."I'm sorry Lee. I can't do it. I'm sorry."

She put him down beside the car and collapsed beside him ashamed of the tears that spilled from her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she whispered putting a hand up to wipe her face. She stopped and looked down as she felt a strong hand curl around hers.

She looked at him as he looked back at her.

"It's ok" he said in a whisper.

"Oh," she sobbed as she leaned forward and kissed his cheek brushing damp hair back from his face.

"I'll get you out of here," she nodded. "I promise Lee."

In answer Lee looked to the road beyond. A cavalcade of flashing lights seemed to suddenly fill the space as vehicle after vehicle pulled into the drive in front of the cabin.

Billy jumped out and went to them putting a protective arm around Amanda.

"Sorry it took so long, the local doctor wasn't available so I decided to call in our own people."

"Billy, Lee is finally awake," Amanda smiled.

They both looked at him but now he knew Amanda was safe he had drifted back to unconsciousness.

"Don't worry ma'am, we'll soon have him patched up."

The medical team took over and Billy and Amanda moved back as they worked on Lee, giving him oxygen and securing him to a stretcher.

Amanda moved closer to Billy as Rodriguez and his gang were dragged out of the house.

"Hay go easy I'm a sick man, that bitch over there poisoned me." Rodriguez yelled as he was dragged out.

Billy grinned. "You poisoned them?"

"Excuse me Billy for just a minute." Amanda went to where Rodriguez stood. He looked with uncertainty as she approached but she stepped past him.

She raised her hand and smacked Margot hard across the face.

"Stupid bitch," Margot whined as she put a hand to her flushed cheek.

Amanda grinned. "Well that's from one bitch to another. Enjoy prison."

She went back then to stand with Billy and gave him an apologetic look.

"I'll fill in the paperwork on that,"

"I didn't see nothin," Billy told her.

~o~

Lee looked somewhat sheepish as she approached. He could not make eye contact.

It had been three weeks and he still hadn't gained back much of the weight he'd lost. He actually looked a little frail.

She took a seat in the lawn chair beside him and smiled.

"I'm glad to see you out here. It's a lovely day."

"They insist on it here. Plenty of fresh air and wholesome food. If I see one more prune based desert I'll go nuts."

She smiled into the awkward air that hung between them.

"You didn't want to see me Lee."

He looked away trying to gather his thoughts and form some sort of response.

She took his hand. "It's ok. I know it's been traumatic."

He suddenly turned to her.

"I didn't know what to say to you. How do you make up for all that. How do you even start..."

"What are you talking about, make up for what?"

Lee tried to damp down his emotions but moisture began to gather in his eyes as he turned to her.

'They...threatened your kids."

"Yes Lee. THEY, THEM. They did that, not you. You're the victim in all this."

Lee shook his head. "You'd never have met those people if it weren't for association with me."

Amanda looked directly into his face.

"Look buster, lets get one thing straight. I work for this organization just the same as you do and I know what I signed up for. As for working with you I wouldn't have it any other way."

Lee tried to smile.

"You should have told me Lee."

His face paled a little as he looked down at his hands. "I know. I thought I could handle it.."

"You could have gotten yourself killed."

"I know."

"Lee you need to trust me, I could have helped. You were coming in every day looking more battered and I didn't know what to think."

"I was trying to protect you."

"That's not how it works Lee and you know it."

"They were threatening your kids Amanda. Damn it. I've been tortured before, it's not pleasant but I can handle it but children..."

Lee let out a long shuddering breath.

"I know," Amanda said brokenly as she tried to control her own emotions.

Lee moved closer and put an arm around her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, this can't be easy for you either." He muttered.

"I'll be ok. Just damn it Lee eat your food and hurry up and get better. They have me teamed with Lance Gorpley. He spends all day telling me how to be a better agent as if he's training me in. I can't focus on the bad guys as I spend too much of my time wanting to murder him."

Lee gave a short laugh. "Ok Amanda, I'll try but the food here is truly terrible. They don't put salt on anything. They won't even put it on your tray."

Amanda nodded. "Yes, which is why I brought pizza,"

Lee's face lit up, "You have pizza?"

"A twelve inch ham and pineapple pizza with chocolate chip ice cream for desert." Amanda smiled.

"Any beer?" Lee asked hopefully.

"What, do I look like Walmart? I had some job smuggling that much in."

THE END.


End file.
